India to mandate minimum six airbags in vehicles carrying up to eight passengers

Indian road transport ministry informed that it will make it mandatory for carmakers to provide a minimum of six airbags in motor vehicles that can carry up to 8 passengers in order to enhance road safety of occupants from October this year.

The ministry also said that the decision has been made to enhance safety features by amending the country's Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), 1989.

The implementation of the fitment of the driver airbag with effect from July 1 2019 and the front co-passenger airbag with effect from January 1 2022 was already mandated, India's Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said.

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He further said, "In order to enhance the safety of the occupants in motor vehicles carrying up to 8 passengers, I have now approved a Draft GSR Notification to make a minimum of 6 airbags compulsory," Gadkari had said. GSR here stands for General Statutory Rules."

The ministry informed: "A draft notification has been issued on January 14, 2022, which mandates that vehicles of category M1, manufactured after October 1, 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."

As pe the latest government data, total of 1,16,496 road accidents occurred on national highways (NHs), including expressways, in 2020, causing 47,984 deaths.