KATHMANDU, Jan 1: The Act that requires both the driver and the pillion rider to wear safety helmets has been enforced from today. Although two wheeler drivers have been sporting safety helmets since 1992, the headgear for the pillion rider came into effect only from Wednesday.
The Transport and Vehicular Management Act 2049 has clearly mentioned in a clause that the driver of the four wheel vehicle and the front passenger should fasten their seat belts, and another clause states that the riders of two-wheelers should wear safety helmet.
But how many people really know what a safety helmet is? “I know we have to wear safety helmets to protect our heads, but I don’t know what constitutes a good head gear,” said Krishna Man Shrestha of Samakhushi who was in Teku to buy a helmet. Shrestha, who considers safety is a priority, also thinks an individual’s purchasing power will decide what he gets. “Good helmets are so expensive.”
Surendra Gupta of Tripureshwor-based Shiwa Motorcycles Parts says full face helmets are safer, however, the quality specifications only the manufacturer can tell. “Only a few people are aware about the safety value of helmets. Most of us see it only as a legal compulsion,” says Gupta. “We are here to meet the demand for helmets. On the subject of safety and requirement, it is best to ask the traffic police,” says Shambhu Yonzon, of Vivek Auto Parts Center at Teku. The price of his helmets ranges from Rs. 200 to Rs. 2,500.
Catalogues describe a good helmet as one that will break but not disintegrate in the event of an accident. Bindu Ratna Tuladhar of Star International at Ramshahpath is a helmet importer with 20 years’ experience in the field. He says mostly Italian, Belgium and Japanese-made helmets are of high quality as they specially designed for speed racing. The exterior part is made of fiber glass while foam lines the interior part.
“Whether half face or full face, both helmets protect the head well. The only difference is that the half face helmet will not protect the chin. But on the other hand, the chin can be reconstructed, not the head,” he said. Most customers go for the look of helmets. “Some customers want unique pieces, but they are not concerned about the safety,” said Tuladhar. A common helmet will protect the head if the motorcycle has been cruising at normal speed or 30/40 km/hr.
There are as such no definite standards for safety helmets in Nepal. The Traffic Police Department has not clarified on this matter. But a source at the traffic police said that they are not the ones to make policies, they are only the implementors. “We just want the riders to build the habit of wearing helmets first, and then only we will think about setting up the safety standards,” says a traffic police source.