The road transport ministry on Wednesday made the use of crash helmets and a safety harnessmandatory for children below the age of four travelling on motorcycles. In a notification to amend Rule 138 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, the ministry also said that the speed of such motorcycles needs to be under 40 kilometres per hour.

The ministry did not specify when the new rules will get implemented, but said that they would come into effect one year after the date of publication of the Central Motor Vehicles (Second Amendment) Rules, 2022.

The notification stated that a safety harness is an adjustable vest which would attach the child riding pillion to the motorcycle driver. The child must wear a crash helmet which fits the head or a bicycle helmet that complies with certain standards, the notification stated.

Illustrative images of the helmets and harness prescribed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in its notification. Credit: The Gazette of India