Bengaluru: The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has clarified that there are no restrictions on half helmets as long as they have an ISI mark.

In response to a letter by Bengaluru Police, seeking details on standard parameters prescribed by it for helmets, BIS yesterday said all helmets with ISI mark are approved by it.

Quoting the reply by BIS, the Bengaluru Police said that helmets with ISI mark are allowed as they have been examined and tested by BIS officials in the manufacturing unit itself. Even the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Act specifies ISI or BIS-approved helmets.

“We will issue a detailed note next week on which helmets are legal and which are not. There is no mention of half helmets or full helmet but every helmet should have an ISI or BIS mark,” the Police said.

NO INSURANCE

Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court has ordered that insurance companies should not compensate accident victims not wearing ISI-marked helmets. Justice L. Narayanaswamy passed the order on an appeal by the Oriental Insurance Company challenging an order by a Court in Madhugiri directing the company to compensate accident victims.

The HC held that motorists should wear helmets as prescribed under rule 230 of the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Rules. The Court stated that a helmet should have ISI number (IS 4151:1993) mentioned on it. Besides, the helmet should also contain the manufacturer’s name, year of manufacturing and size which should also be easy to read, the order stated.