‘To wear or not to wear’ cannot be the question, it’s a must!
Reporters Name | CAMIL PARKHE | Thursday, 4 February 2016 AT 10:33 PM IST
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At last, the Maharashtra government has decided to enforce the rule of compulsory helmets for all two-wheeler riders all over the state. The rule of mandatory use of helmets has been there for many years but not implemented due to the apathy of the administration in implementing it. This has led to avoidable deaths of a large number of people, especially youngsters.
There has not been a consistent policy of the government administration and especially the police department in enforcing the rule on mandatory use of helmets. A few years ago, when a new police officer took over the charge of the traffic wing in Pune police commissionerate, he announced the strict enforcement of the rule. Accordingly, for a few months two-wheeler riders were fined for not observing the rule. This had naturally the desired effect as all those who had helmets at their homes started using them and those who did not have helmets purchased them immediately. But the enforcement was again relaxed later and now the drive on helmets rule has been totally called off. This inconsistency on the part of the police and also the government administration is totally inexplicable.
What is most important is that some major automobile giants and other industries in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad have been for the past many years strictly enforcing the rule on use of helmets on their campus areas. Having no other option, employees of these industries and also those desiring to enter these premises have been following the rule.
Use of helmets is also mandatory on campus of all defence establishments all over the country. The helmets rule has been enforced most stringently in Maharashtra’s capital, Mumbai. Why is the same rule not enforced in other cities and highways in the state?
A couple of years ago, traffic police authorities in Pune police commissionerate started strictly enforcing the rule on wearing seat belts for four-wheeler drivers and have been consistent with this policy. As a result, the rule has been observed by most four-wheeler drivers in the city. It is strange why the police authorities are not consistent with the helmet rule as well.
At the national level, too, there is no consistency on implementing the helmets rule. In some metropolitan cities and states, the rule has been enforced while other cities ignore this rule. Implementation of the rule has been left to the whims and fancies of the in-charge police officials in these cities. This is despite the fact that over 1,50,000 people die in road accidents in India every year. In Pune police commissionerate area comprising Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, every year 400 people are killed in road mishaps and of them, 200 are two-wheeler riders. Of the total 479 two-wheeler riders who were killed in road mishaps during the past two years, 477 had not worn helmets.
Deaths of these two-wheeler riders would have been surely avoided in most cases had these people worn helmets. Indeed, there are many people who understand the importance and need of wearing helmets and would use the helmets even if there is no compulsion to do so. But a large number of people would be inclined to use the helmet only if it is mandatory. During my recent visit to Goa, I witnessed a large number foreign nationals zooming fast on two-wheelers without wearing helmets. I was sure that in their own countries, these foreigners would never dare to ride even a bicycle without a helmet as otherwise they would be penalised there. That is why we cannot afford to make use of helmets as optional or voluntary. There would be a heavy price to be paid for that. There is urgent need to enforce the helmet rule all over the country and that too consistently.
