In the last few days, more pillion riders have lost their lives than riders of two-wheelers, as the latter were protected by headgear. So, with the onset of new year at least, it is high time traffic police implemented the helmet rule in toto.
Law stipulates that the pillion riders should also wear helmets along with the drivers. This practice is common in other cities such as New Delhi, Bengaluru and even Mysuru. However, the traffic police of the three commissionerates in the State capital seem to be lenient on this front.
Fatality figures
According to the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, every person riding a motorcycle, while in a public place, must wear a protective headgear conforming to the standards of Bureau of Indian Standards. In the recent past two young pillion riders were killed, while the riders escaped with minor injuries. It was on Thursday morning when a 22-year-old woman, riding pillion on a scooter, was killed while the rider escaped with injuries after their two-wheeler hit a road divider near Malkamcheruvu under Raidurgam police station.
Manchukonda Aishwarya (22), a private employee from Saptagiri Colony in Mehdipatnam fell off from the bike and her head hit the median. On December 31, Aka Parmesh (27) from Badangpet died after a ready-mix concrete truck hit the motorcycle he was riding pillion near Shaheen Nagar under Balapur police. His brother-in-law, Balaraju, who was riding the bike, escaped with minor injuries as he was wearing a helmet.
“It is a fact that pillion riders are at great danger and more prone to fatal injuries,” said Cyberabad Traffic DCP S.M. Vijay Kumar. He said that the traffic police in other metro cities including Bengaluru have started enforcing the rule and here it is a matter of time before they start doing it.
“If wearing headgear saves life, why not wear it?” he questioned.
When contacted, a senior officer of Hyderabad traffic police said that as of now they were not concentrating onthe pillion rider, as still a large number of motorists on city roads are moving without a helmet. “Maybe in the near future, we will start imposing fine on pillion riders without a helmet, but not now” the officer said.
Vinod K. Kanumala of Indian Federation of Road Safety stated that the traffic police in the State capital failed to implement the rule, which is mandatory according to the MV Act.
“It is high time for the police department to start enforcing the rule for the safety of fellow citizens,” he said. According to him wearing a helmet decreases the risk and severity of injuries by 72 % and the likelihood of death by up to 39%.
