Vijayawada: People ignore helmet rule

Vijayawada: Despite the strict ruling of the compulsory wearing of helmets, many motorcyclists and scooter riders appear to be completely unaware of any such mandate. 

An increasing number of cases of helmetless-riding is worrying the city police and the transport department. The police have been particularly diligent about spre-ading awareness of road and personal safety but from the looks of it, it is having little effect. 

Despite the month long awareness camp-aign run by the police and the transport dep-artment, hundreds of two-wheeler riders were fined for not wearing a helmet and an equal number of motorists for not wea-ring a seatbelt. Nearly 1000 cases were filed in a month. The traffic wing of city police and RTA officials conducted special drives in major junctions in the city and registered cases. Around 30 per cent of the cases registered were booked for the second time for the same offence and this is worrying the officials. 

“The rule of compulsorily wearing a helmet is for the safety of citizens and city poli-ce is implementing it strictly. Despite this, two-wheeler riders are still ignoring ord-ers. We will be taking stringent action agai-nst those who are rep-eatedly caught without a helmet. We will be cancelling their dr-iving licences,” said deputy commissioner of police, Kranti Rana Tata.

Meanwhile citizens are equally upset with the police. “Purchasing helmets have become a costly affair as sellers have increased the prices of helmets by up to 40 percent. Apart from registering cases for helmet less driving, officials should also take necessary action to regulate the exorbitant cost of helmets,” says K. Narayana Rao, a motorcyclist.