Lok Sabha Question No. 254 (STARRED), answered on 2016-03-15
Subject: Mandatory Air Bags in Cars
Ministry: HEAVY INDUSTRIES AND PUBLIC ENTERPRISES
Asked by: PINAKI MISRA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEAVY INDUSTRIES AND PUBLIC ENTERPRISES DEPARTMENT OF HEAVY INDUSTRY

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.254 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.03.2016

## Mandatory Air Bags in Cars

## *254. SHRI PINAKI MISRA:

Will the Minister of HEAVY INDUSTRIES AND PUBLIC ENTERPRISES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is considering to make the provision of air bags mandatory in every passenger car manufactured in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  take  up  the  matter  with  the  Car  Manufacturers Association taking into consideration the safety of driver/ passengers, if so, the details thereof and if not the reasons therefor; and
- (c) the other steps being taken to ensure safety and security of the occupants of passenger cars?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF HEAVY INDUSTRIES AND PUBLIC ENTERPRISES (SHRI ANANT G. GEETE)

(a) to (c) :  A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT

## Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 254 for  15.03.2016  asked  by  Shri  Pinaki  Misra  regarding  'MANDATORY  AIR  BAGS  IN CARS'

(a) & (b) Ministry  of  Road  Transport  &  Highways  (MoRTH),  which  administers  Central Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 / Central Motor Vehicles Rule, 1989, has informed that at present Government does    not have any proposal to mandate provision of Air Bags in every passenger car. However,  MoRTH's S.O. notifications 1139 (E) dated 28 th April 2015 and S.O. 2412 (E) dated 3 rd September 2015 have mandated certain safety provisions, which are annexed.

(c) Some  other  measures  have  already  been  taken  step  by  step  to  ensure  the  safety  of occupants of the  cars.  The  seat  belt  regulation  and  the  Seat  Belt  Anchorage  Regulation has already been   made  mandatory  w.e.f.  April  2005,  this  requires  mandatory  fitment  and wearing of seat belts in both the front as well as the rear seats of cars. Child restraint system has also been mandated w.e.f. October 2015.

Further  Society  of  Indian  Automobile  Manufacturers  (SIAM)  have  informed  that  there  are more  than  60  mandatory  safety  tests  prescribed  for  vehicles,  which  involve  all  the  safety parameters in passenger cars.

## Annexure

| Safety Provisions                                                                                                                                     | Standards                                                                         | Date of commencement / validity                                       |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| (a) The steering impact requirement                                                                                                                   | IS 11939: 1996, as amended from time to time, for the vehicles specified therein. | 13 th December, 2004 and valid up to dates of implementation of 5(b). |
| (b) Requirements for behavior of steering mechanism of a vehicle in a Head- on Collision                                                              | AIS-096/2008, as amended from time to time, for the vehicles specified therein.   | New Models - 1 st October, 2017. All Models -1 st October, 2019.      |
| (c) Protection of occupants in the event of an Offset Frontal Collision                                                                               | AIS-098/2008, as amended from time to time, for the vehicles specified therein.   | New Models - 1 st October, 2017. All Models- 1 st October, 2019       |
| (d) Side door impact for all passenger cars                                                                                                           | IS 12009: 1995, as amended from time to time.                                     | 13 th December, 2004 and valid up to dates of implementation of 6(b). |
| (e) Approval of vehicles with regard to the Protection of Occupants in the event of a Lateral Collision                                               | AIS- 099/2008, as amended from time to time, for the vehicles specified therein.  | New Models- 1 st October, 2017. All Models- 1 st October, 2019.       |
| (f) Approval of Vehicles with regard to the Protection of Pedestrian and other Vulnerable Road Users in the event of a Collision with a Motor Vehicle | AIS-100/2010, as amended from time to time, for the vehicles specified therein.   | New Models- 1 st October, 2018. All Models-1 st October, 2020.'       |

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