Bengaluru: It was like any other day for pillion riders on Tuesday, as the traffic police started imposing the rule making helmets mandatory for these two-wheeler riders too across the city. Majority of the pillion riders were seen going around without helmets, the traffic police said.
But for those law-abiding citizens who dutifully strapped on the helmets, there was a surprise in store. The traffic police, who are eager to promote the campaign, were seen distributing flowers and chocolates to them at different traffic junctions.
Not cracking down yet on the violators, the city police are using the period of leniency to educate the pillion riders. The police have put up large hoardings at traffic junctions and are distributing handbills to two-wheeler riders.
They have also roped in a few neurosurgeons to talk about the dangers of helmet less travel. The doctors presented a case study of an 18-year-old student, who was a pillion rider without a helmet. He not only sustained severe head injuries, but also saw his friend, who was riding the two-wheeler, die before his eyes.
Laughing off excuses not to wear helmets – loss of hair and increase in dandruff – as mere myths, the doctors pointed out that helmets do save lives. An IS-4151 standard helmet, the specified headgear as per the rule, should be strapped on tightly to one’s chin to protect oneself from head injuries during accidents, they said.
The riders should ideally wear full-face helmets as they avoid injuries to eyes, nose, jaws and chin, and reduce the risk of facial fractures, the doctors said.
Meanwhile, helmet shops on J.C. Road and other areas saw large crowds buying helmets with ISI stamp.
Starting Tuesday, the city traffic police tightened its noose on helmet-less riding in urban Bengaluru by booking numerous bike riders who were caught without helmets in several parts of the city. While the riders who violated the rule were penalized, the pillion riders were let off with advice after they were questioned by the cops for not adhering to rule of helmet for pillion.
While at some areas the traffic police were seen distributing handbills with flowers (red and yellow roses) to the helmet-less riders, few other areas witnessed cops distributing chocolates and other goodies to the offenders to create awareness. “We gave two red roses for all those riders and pillion riders each, all those who wore helmets and obeyed the law and appreciated them. We gave yellow roses to all of them who violated the pillion helmet rule today and advised them to kindly adhere to the rule next time,” said a senior traffic police officer from Electronic Traffic police station to this newspaper.
The pillion riders were advised by the traffic cops that they soon procure helmets and use them for their safety or else the rider would be penalised.
Fines from Jan 20 onwards
“For around three to four days, we are going to spread awareness, educating the public about the new helmet rule for pillion riders by putting up hoardings at prime junctions across the city. The traffic police will also start hand-bill distribution exercises to spread the message,” said M.A. Saleem, Additional commissioner of police (Traffic) while addressing a press conference on Tuesday at Sagar Hospitals in Jayanagar. The press conference was to create awareness on the helmet rule and to prove statistically and medically as to how helmets can be extremely beneficial for rider safety. “After January 20, we are going to impose fine on all two-wheeler riders who violate this rule,” Saleem added.
Bengaluru has the largest number of two-wheelers in India (41 lakh) and the second largest city in the world (Jakarta is first). According to official statistics, at least one individual dies due in a two-wheeler related road accident each day in the city and at least one-fourth of those killed in two-wheeler accidents were pillion riders. “Wearing helmet is for protecting one’s own head,” Saleem said.
Not wearing helmets costs dear
Eighteen-year-old Srilesh S. Reddy, who on October 22, 2014 was riding pillion on a 1000 cc bike without wearing a helmet, not only saw his close friend die in front of him, but sustained severe head injuries and has still not fully recovered. “Srilesh and his friend, who was riding the bike, were on their way to Nandi Hills for distributing wedding cards. Their bike crashed into a tractor that was crossing the road and his friend died on the spot. Srilesh spent two to three months in the hospital, underwent five surgeries, three to his head and two to his left leg. “My son’s memory has returned, but he is still emotionally disturbed as the head injuries he sustained were serious. Had he worn a helmet, he would have at least saved himself from head injuries,” his father Suresh S. Reddy said. For Srilesh it will take another year to recuperate and return to his college, he added. Shrilesh has been a patient of Dr H.V. Madhusudhan since the accident.
Probe against erring cop
After Deccan Chronicle reported about a traffic constable’s unruly behaviour with a two-wheeler rider, who was video-graphing the constable while he was riding his bike without a helmet in Adugodi on Monday, the Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M.A Saleem on Tuesday called for a department inquiry against the constable identified as Ramesh, attached with the Adugodi traffic police station. “We will have the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Traffic, South East Division conduct an inquiry into the incident,” M.A. Saleem told Deccan Chronicle.
Experts: Helmets can reduce fatalities by 10 per cent
A senior neurosurgeon, other luminaries from the neurology department of a renowned hospital in South Bengaluru and Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M.A. Saleem, who was invited to preside over the function in the city on Tuesday, was a perfect combination for addressing the necessity of helmets for pillion riders on two-wheelers.
While the neurosurgeons, who regularly come across cases of head trauma, reiterated the importance of usage of helmets, Mr Saleem defended the enforcement side and pressed that the law is into force already and we are working on spreading awareness and educating the two-wheeler users, after which the rule will be enforced.
“Studies show that the compulsory use of helmets by two-wheeler riders alone can reduce deaths during accidents by 10-30%. The risk of death is nearly 2.5 times more among riders not wearing a helmet. Studies show that serious head injuries can happen even at low speeds of 10-15 kmph,” said Dinesh Mohan, coordinator of the Transport Research and Injury Prevention Program of an IIT study in Delhi.
“A helmet aims to reducing the risk of serious head and brain injuries by reducing the impact of a force or collision to the head. Helmets create an additional layer for the head and thus protect the wearer from some of the more severe forms of traumatic brain injuries,” said Dr. H.V. Madhusudhan, a senior neurosurgeon from Sagar Hospitals.
“During a two-wheeler crash, there are two principal mechanisms of injury to the brain through direct contact and through acceleration-deceleration. Due to the impact of a collision, the rider is often thrown off the vehicle. If the rider’s head hits an object, such as the ground, the head’s forward motion is stopped, but the brain inside (like a jelly suspended in little amount of water) having its own mass, continues to move forward until it strikes the inside of the skull. It then rebounds, striking the opposite side of the inside skull,” said Dr. H.V. Madhusudhan adding that two-wheeler riders who do not wear a helmet run a much higher risk of sustaining any of these head and traumatic brain injuries or combination of them.
