A Study on Understanding the Factors of Non-compliance in Motorized Two-Wheeler Helmet Use in India: A Review of Literature

Injuries related to road traffic are the major causes of death among people in the age bracket of 15–29 years (World Health Organization 2015). In many developing countries, motorized two-wheelers are the dominant means of transport and contribute to a more significant proportion of road fatalities. Leading causes of death are wounds to the head and neck that account for 88% fatalities in developing countries. India comprising of a significantly considerable percentage (70%) of two-wheelers with weak enforcement of helmet laws and poor compliance poses further challenges. This paper is divided into three sections. Section one reviews the literature on compliance behaviour from different theoretical disciplines to understand the behavioural factors that motivate compliance behaviour with the law. The second section reviews the empirical literature on helmet compliance across various countries with a mandatory helmet law. The overview brings to light that mere presence of a helmet law does not motivate compliance behaviour and more often lead to “token compliance”. The meaning of helmet use should be properly understood through in-depth interviews to understand the motivations to comply. The third section focuses on the evolution of helmet law in India. The overview suggests that regulations focus heavily on penalty structure and withdrawal of license as the primary disincentive to motivate compliance. Finally, alternative approaches to increase helmet compliance are discussed, and a regulatory framework that recognizes the coexistence of law, morality and social norm is suggested.