Helmets will be made mandatory

Helmets will be made mandatory
Deccan Herald

The Cabinet has decided to implement the helmet rule, both for the rider and the pillion rider in the wake of spiralling accident rates.

It’s time for two-wheeler riders and those riding pillion in the six City corporation areas of the State, including Bangalore and Mysore, to buy helmets.

The State Cabinet on Saturday decided to make wearing a helmet mandatory for two-wheeler riders as well as the pillion rider in the jurisdiction of Bangalore Metropolitan Regional Development Authority and city corporation areas of Mangalore, Mysore, Belgaum, Hubli-Dharwad and Gulbarga. The new rule will come into effect in a month’s time.

Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Information Minister B Shivaram said the rules concerned would be amended within a month to make wearing helmets compulsory. However, the mandatory clause would not apply to highways linking these city corporations, the minister explained. The decision to enforce helmets had been taken to ensure the safety of two-wheeler riders and those who ride pillion in the wake of the increasing number of fatal accidents.

A study says that on an average three two-wheeler riders and pillion riders were dying in road accidents in the State everyday, Mr Shivaram said and observed that such deaths could be prevented by making wearing helmets mandatory.