To ensure the safety of two-wheeler riders, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has made helmet-wearing mandatory. It is one of those stringent rules which every two-wheeler rider must follow. We all know how important helmet is to prevent the fatalities that can occur due to road accidents. It saves one from getting severe head injuries due to road accidents. But, do you know that you need to buy ISI-approved or DOT certified helmets only?
Yes, you heard it right; you cannot go and buy any helmet for your motorcycle ride. Instead, they should have proper certification, or else you will get a fine charged for the same. We know that many individuals are not aware of the same. That is why we are sharing all the required information related to ISI or DOT certified helmets in this blog.
What are ISI or DOT certified helmets?
Before we help you know what to check when buying ISI or DOT certified helmets, let’s know what they are. The ISI certification refers to the Indian Standards Institute certification. The ISI certification is valid only in India. You will find it on most helmets in India that have passed the ISI certification test.
The DOT certification refers to the Department of Transportation Certification. The DOT certified helmets are valid worldwide and especially in the USA. Though, DOT does not conduct any tests to give certifications to helmets. But DOT has provided certain guidelines which helmet manufacturing companies need to follow. Some of the criteria provided by DOT for DOT certified helmets are:
- Penetration test for determining how strong the helmet is.
- A height test is conducted by dropping the helmet from a certain height to know its effect on the same.
- A crash test is also conducted to know how the helmet will work in such situations.
A few more quality tests are there to decide whether the helmet will get DOT certification or not.
How to know if the helmet is ISI or DOT certified or not?
When buying an ISI-approved helmet, you will see the ISI mark (IS Code) and the manufacturer code on the helmet. It is written with non-removable print. To check the DOT certification on helmets, one should check the back side of the helmet. The DOT approved label is printed on the back side and a DOT label is also stitched to the helmet.
Always buy an ISI or DOT certified helmet only for complete safety
If you are also a two-wheeler rider, do look for the ISI or DOT mark on the helmets. To buy the best quality DOT certified helmets, you can also buy from ABP helmet. All their helmets have DOT certification marks on them and are good to use.
