Is Your Helmet Dot Certified?

In the 2019 amendment of the Motor Vehicles Act, riding on Indian roads without a helmet is considered a traffic offense. Here are some specifications regarding the rules for wearing a helmet that riders are expected to abide by:

• Under Section 129 of the principal Act, every individual above the age of four must be wearing protective headgear while riding a motorcycle in a public area.

• The laws regarding a helmet apply both to the rider as well as to the pillion rider.

• According to Section 129(a), the helmet must be made using materials equipped to offer maximum protection from an injury arising from an accident.

• As per Section 129(b), the helmet must be firmly fastened with straps to the head of the rider such that it does not fall off in the event of an accident.

• Bearing the aforementioned in mind, the next step is to acquaint yourself with what is a DOT-certified helmet test.

The safety of a helmet relies on its durability. Considering this, some certifications are provided for helmets to ensure the safety of the riders. A DOT certification helmet is one of them.

DOT is an abbreviation for Department of Transportation. One of the responsibilities of this department is to check the helmets based on certain safety parameters.

Once a helmet clears the DOT-certified helmet test, they are given a stamp to verify its safety. Therefore, before you purchase a helmet, you must research a DOT certification helmet list to ensure that you are appropriately protected when riding.

A helmet must undergo several tests to be certified by the DOT, including crash protection, penetration, retention system, etc. A helmet is tested for its tolerance using extreme and harsh techniques, such as exerting a lot of pressure before it cracks or deforms. These tests are designed to test the quality of the equipment.

Helmets primarily sold in the USA are covered under the DOT certification. In other words, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regulates DOT certification (NHTSA).

In addition to the DOT certification, there are also some other certifications that are similar to one another with minor differences depending on the available resources. Let’s take a look at them in the next section.

It is important for the helmet you wear to be appropriately certified to protect you in the event of an unfortunate accident. It must cover your face and head properly, so every rider must buy a full-face helmet and check for the certification stamp. Here are some certifications for helmets:

DOT Certification: This is a basic certification for a helmet with a thorough procedure for testing. Under this certification, the helmet is tested for retention system, penetration resistance, the field of vision, and even labelling.

ECE Certification: The Economic Commission of Europe (ECE) certification is comprehensive testing of helmets and is considered by many to be the most up-to-date and protective certification. The safety parameters of the ECE standard test are designed to avoid an accident altogether, such as testing for the optical quality of the face shields.

ISI Certification: The Indian Standards Institute (ISI) certification is most commonly found in helmets made in India. In addition to the standardised testing procedure for certification, a prominent requirement for this helmet is that it is lightweight, making it more comfortable for the wearer.

SNELL Certification: What differentiates a SNELL certification from others is that it has no affiliations to the industry or the government but is a voluntary testing process. To obtain a SNELL certification, a helmet must undergo tests beyond the regular standard of protection. SNELL certification tests a helmet based on four parameters: impact management, helmet positional stability, retention system strength, and extent of protection.

Now that we have learned about the different kinds of certifications for helmets, let’s take a look at which are some of the best DOT-certified helmets in India.

With the advent of technology, riders can easily buy DOT-certified helmets online which also makes it easy to compare different helmets.

If you are looking for the cheapest DOT-certified helmet, you can find one between the range of ₹1,000 to ₹2,000. However, instead of looking for the cheapest DOT-certified helmet, it is advised to look for a helmet based on its safety and comfort.

Good quality DOT-certified helmet prices in India are affordable for the common populace. One can easily find DOT-certified helmets online for less than ₹5,000.

Here is a DOT certification helmet list that riders can explore:

• Axor Apex Hunter helmet is certified by the DOT and the ECE. It is priced at ₹4,844 online.

• TVS XPOD Racing Helmet comes with an ISI and a DOT certification and is priced at ₹3,499 online

• Royal Enfield Street Prime has three certifications: DOT, ECE, and ISI. This full-face helmet is priced at ₹2,589 online.

Now that you know the general DOT certified helmets price in India, you can go on to secure your bike rides with the right protective headgear. However, for wholesome protection, riders must invest in comprehensive insurance for two-wheeler.

Just as a DOT-certified helmet needs to clear certain safety tests to protect the rider, insurance for two-wheelers is designed to cover a host of unpleasant scenarios while riding. Although it is only mandatory to have third-party bike insurance to ride on Indian roads legally, riders must ensure their own safety by investing in a comprehensive two-wheeler insurance policy.

Contrary to popular opinion, a comprehensive cover is not expensive. Insurance seekers can use the free bike insurance calculator available online to check the premium payable on their selected bike insurance policy.

The comprehensive two-wheeler insurance by Tata AIG protects the rider against several unforeseeable scenarios and has the insurer covered against the cost of damages to the bike, third party, and in certain cases, even the bike owner.