‘Helmets alone won’t help’

NEW MOTOR VEHICLE RULES
‘Helmets alone won’t help’
Deccan Herald

With the new Karnataka Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Rules 2006 in place, helmets will be made compulsory for both rider and pillion in the state soon.

Do helmets make a safe bet for two-wheeler riders? Perhaps, the answer lies in the number of deaths caused due to head injuries - 275 in 2004 and 276 in 2005. And all these victims had not been wearing a helmet.

With the new Karnataka Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Rules 2006 in place, helmets will be made compulsory for both rider and pillion in the state soon. But before that, the government needs to answer a few questions, demanded members at the Legislative Council on Thursday. R V Venkatesh (Cong) said, “Given the narrow, crammed roads and traffic crawling at 10 km per hour, it is difficult to imagine a fatal accident taking place here. Moreover, helmets for pillion riders is not convenient.” “With the increasing number of ‘scooter families’, the government has to evolve better means to check accidents — like keeping a tab on reckless driving and stringent system of issuing driving licences,” said Marithibbegowda (Ind).

“Rampant sale of sub-standard helmets is defeating the purpose of wearing the head-gear. Will the government check the sale of non-ISI brands?” asked Gowda.

Home Minister M P Prakash defended the government decision to make helmets compulsory and that helmets have to adhere to the Bureau of Indian Standards.

MISHAPS

Year Deaths Injured

2004 275 271

2005 276 506

2006 126 213

(till June 30, 2006)