In order to enhance the safety of the occupants in motor vehicles carrying upto 8 passengers, Shri Nitin Gadakari, Ministry of Road Transport And Highways have approved a Draft GSR Notification to make a minimum of 6 Airbags compulsory.
The Ministry had already mandated the implementation of fitment of the driver airbag w.e.f 01st July 2019 and front co-passenger airbag w.e.f 01st January 2022.
To minimise the impact of frontal and lateral collisions to the occupants seated in both front and rear compartments, it has been decided that 4 additional airbags be mandated in the M1 vehicle category, i.e two side/side torso airbags and two side curtain/tube airbags covering all outboard passengers. This is a crucial step to make motor vehicles in India safer than ever.
This will ultimately ensure the safety of passengers across all segments, irrespective of the cost/variant of the vehicle.
#RoadSafety #SadakSurakshaJeevanRaksha
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MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
New Delhi
Dated: 14th January, 2022
NOTIFICATION
G.S.R. 16(E).—The following draft rules further amend the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, which the Central Government proposes to make in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 110 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (59 of 1988) is hereby published as required by sub-section (1) of Section 212 of the said Act for information of all persons likely to be affected thereby and notice is hereby given that the said draft rules shall be taken into consideration after the expiry of a period of thirty days from the date on which the copies of this notification, as published in the Gazette of India, are made available to the public.
Objections or suggestions, if any, may be sent to the Joint Secretary (MVL, Transport, Toll), Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Transport Bhawan, Parliament Street, New Delhi-110 001, on the email: comments- [email protected]
Any objections or suggestions which may be received from any person with respect to the said draft rules before the expiry of the period aforesaid will be considered by the Central Government;
Draft Rules
1. Short title and commencement.-(1) These rules may be called as the Central Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Rules, 2022.
(2) Save as otherwise provided in these rules, they shall come into force from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.
2. In the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, after sub-rule (9A) of rule 125, the following sub-rule shall be inserted, namely:-
“(9B) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub rule (9) and (9A), for the purpose of this rule following definitions and provisos shall apply:
Vehicles of category M1, manufactured after 01st October 2022, shall be fitted with two side/side torso air bags, one each for the persons occupying front row outboard seating positions and two side curtain/tube air bags, one each for the persons occupying outboard seating positions and the requirement for such airbags shall be verified with compliance to AIS-099, as amended from time to time, till the corresponding Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specifications are notified under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016 (11 of 2016).
Explanation for the purpose of this sub-rule:
i) The expression “Side/side torso air bag” means any inflatable occupant restraint device that is mounted to the seats or side structure of the vehicle interior, and that is designed to deploy in a side impact crash to help mitigate primarily torso injury and/or occupant ejection, for the persons occupying front row outboard seating positions.
Provided that side/ side torso air bags can also deploy in other crash modes as determined by the vehicle manufacturer.
ii) The expression “Side curtain/tube air bag” means any inflatable occupant restraint device that is mounted to the side structure of the vehicle interior, and that is designed to deploy in a side impact crash or rollover to help mitigate primarily head injury and/or occupant ejection for the persons occupying the outboard seating positions.
Provided that side curtain/tube air bags can also deploy in other crash modes as determined by the manufacturer.”.
[RT-11028/16/2016-MVL]
AMIT VARADAN, Jt. Secy.
Note: The principal rules were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part-II, Section 3, Sub- section (i), vide notification number G.S.R. 590(E), dated the 2nd June, 1989 and lastly amended vide Notification number …….. Dated………….