Road Transport Ministry issues draft notification mandates vehicles of category M1 to be fitted with two side/side torso air bags
M1 category vehicles refers to motor vehicles used for the carriage of passengers, comprising not more than eight seats in addition to the driver’s seat.
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a draft notification which mandates that vehicles of category M1, manufactured after 1st October 2022, shall be fitted with two side or side torso air bags one each for the persons occupying front row outboard seating positions and two side curtain or tube air bags, one each for the persons occupying outboard seating positions.
M1 category vehicles refers to motor vehicles used for the carriage of passengers, comprising not more than eight seats in addition to the driver's seat.
Side or side torso air bag" means any inflatable occupant restraint device that is mounted to the seats or side structure of the vehicle interior. It is designed to deploy in a side impact crash to help mitigate primarily torso injury for the persons occupying front row outboard seating positions.
Side curtain or tube air bag" means any inflatable occupant restraint device that is mounted to the side structure of the vehicle interior. It is designed to deploy in a side impact crash or rollover to help mitigate primarily head injury or occupant ejection for the persons occupying the outboard seating positions.
In a statement, the Ministry said that in order to enhance the safety of occupants of the motor vehicle against lateral impact, it has been decided to enhance safety features by amending the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. In a tweet, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari also said that in order to enhance the safety of the occupants in motor vehicles carrying upto 8 passengers, he has approved a Draft Notification to make a minimum of six Airbags compulsory.
Mr Gadkari said that this is a crucial step to make motor vehicles in India safer than ever. He said, this will ultimately ensure the safety of passengers across all segments, irrespective of the cost and variant of the vehicle. The Ministry had already mandated the implementation of the fitment of the driver airbag with effect from 1st July 2019 and the front co-passenger airbag from 1st of this month.
