Mysore, July 14: If you own a two-wheeler and are yet to buy a helmet, better buy one and wear the same while on the road. Else, you may land yourself in trouble and cough up as much as Rs 100 as fine. The city police is planning strict enforcement of helmet rule in the coming days.
What’s compelled the police to launch an intensified drive to book the offenders is the increasing number of fatal mishaps involving two-wheeler riders and pillion riders (45 per cent). In the last six months, 29 two-wheeler riders have lost their lives, out of a total of 68 road deaths.
Most of them were not wearing helmets at the time of mishap. Alarmingly, two-wheeler fatalities when compared to last year (56), have crossed the 50 per cent mark this year, according to the statistics released by the office of police commissioner.
Last year, a total of 137 deaths and 945 injuries were recorded, of which 56 were two-wheeler deaths and 380 injuries.
Comparatively, the year 2011 witnessed fewer number of fatalities – 114, but 1,073 injuries were reported. There were 54 two-wheeler deaths and 418 injuries.
In the year 2010 there were 140 deaths and 1025 injuries, of which 50 of them two-wheeler deaths and 385 reported injuries. According to the police, by wearing helmets, chances of serious head injuries can be avoided by 80 per cent and fatalities by 50 per cent. Before enforcing the rule, the police have planned various programmes to impart education on the significance of wearing a helmet. As part of the campaign, over 100 helmet wearing traffic police personnel on two-wheelers, took out a rally from Kote Anjaneya Swamy temple on the premises of Mysore Palace north gate in the main thoroughfares of the city. The other programmes chalked out are a publicity drive by putting up hoardings, banners and placards at significant junctions, and talks by experts at schools and colleges. Subsequently, strict enforcement of helmet rule will be taken up through the prosecution of erring two-wheeler users.
According to Rule 129 of Indian Motor Vehicles Act 1988, wearing of protective headgear means every person driving or riding shall wear protective headgear conforming to the Bureau of Indian Standards. The provisions of this section shall not apply to a person who is a Sikh wearing a turban.
Road toll
Year Accidental deaths/injuries Two-wheeler deaths/injuries
2013 68/4962 9/230 ( Up to June)
2012 137/945 56/380
2011 114/1037 54/418
2010 140/1025 50/385
(Source: Mysore city police)
