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Helmet makers urge supply-chain crackdown as Karnataka targets unsafe half-helmets and fake ISI marks
Our read
Karnataka will more likely than not move from examining legal provisions to seller-side enforcement against unsafe half-helmets and fake ISI marks, which favours certified helmet makers.
For operators
If you sell helmets in Karnataka, audit your suppliers' ISI certification now and consider pulling half-helmets, because the manufacturers' association wants retailers held accountable alongside makers, and 3,581 of the state's 12,390 road deaths in 2024 were linked to non-use of helmets.
Watch
Helmet non-use deaths below 2024's 3,581 in Karnataka's next annual data would mean enforcement is shifting buyers to certified makers.
Ask next
The report
Karnataka recorded 3,581 deaths linked to non-use of helmets in 2024, out of 12,390 road accident deaths. The Two-Wheeler Helmet Manufacturers Association of India urged action on manufacturers and retailers supplying unsafe half-helmets and counterfeit ISI-marked products.
- All road accident deaths, Karnataka 202412,390
- Deaths linked to non-use of helmets, 20243,581
Reported figures
From the report. Source details below
| India road accident deaths, 2024: | 1,75,142 |
|---|---|
| India two-wheeler user deaths: | 84,599 |
| Two-wheeler users' share of road deaths: | 48.3% |
| Karnataka two-wheeler fatalities in 2024 (association): | more than 6,000 |
| Helmet BIS Quality Control Order issued: | 2021 |
What to watch next
- A Karnataka notification or order naming penalties for sellers of non-compliant helmets
- Bureau of Indian Standards raids or seizures involving fake ISI-marked helmets in Karnataka
- Marketplace delistings of half-helmets or uncertified helmets
- Statements from other states copying Karnataka's seller-side approach
Likely next moves
Our read of what comes next — analysis, not reported by the source.
- The Two-Wheeler Helmet Manufacturers Association of India is likely to press Karnataka officials for supply-chain action, with formal representations naming sellers of unsafe products.
- Karnataka's transport and police authorities will more likely than not turn their legal review into inspections of helmet retailers and wholesalers.
- Expect the Bureau of Indian Standards to be asked to step up checks on counterfeit ISI marks, mainly at retail and online listings.
- Online marketplaces and large retailers may delist or audit half-helmet and uncertified helmet listings if the state signals liability for sellers.
- Smaller unorganised helmet sellers are likely to see the most pressure, and certified brands may use the crackdown to market compliance.