MVD set to crack down on helmetless riders

Nearly 40 per cent of pillion riders in city yet to comply with the rule, says official

Safe ride: The number of urban riders wearing helmets has increased after an awareness campaign by the Motor Vehicles Department in Kozhikode recently.

After an intensive awareness campaign both on and off the field, the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) is gearing up to book helmetless two-wheeler riders in the district with the support of five regional enforcement squads.

In the past two weeks, 829 violations were detected by the squads. They collected a total fine of ₹3.57 lakh from the violators. On Friday alone, 32 riders and 42 pillion riders were fined for the offence and a fine of ₹38,500 was collected.

MVD officials said the intensive enforcement drive had made people aware of the need to comply with the rules. The biggest change was that even parents were found encouraging their little pillion riders to wear quality head gear, they said.

“In Kozhikode city limits, we feel that about 90 per cent of riders now wear helmet. However, about 40 per cent of pillion riders are yet to comply with the rule,” said Regional Transport Officer (Enforcement) P.M. Shabeer.

He said that the use of helmets by riders and pillion riders in the rural areas was lower than that in urban counterparts.

“During our checking, only 60 per cent of the rural riders were found obeying the rule. In the case of pillion riders, only 40 per cent was found complying with it,” he said.

Based on the field-level assessment, the regional squads have been asked to concentrate more on rural areas. Police squads too will intensify their checking drives in rural areas.

Police sources said the previous special checking drive named Operation Silent Catch for tracking under-age riders would continue in the city. When such cases are detected, prompt legal action would be taken based on photographs captured from various locations by police personnel, they said.