A corporate social responsibility initiative by Gulf Oil in association with The Hindu In School, ‘Guardian on Road,’ to spread awareness about the importance of wearing a helmet as a pillion rider was organised in Mumbai on Thursday, where 250 children’s helmets were distributed.

The awareness drive conducted at Rizvi Springfield High School, Khar was attended by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP-Traffic) Deepali Masirkar and Lisa Sadanah, popularly known as the ‘Helmet Girl’ of Bandra.

Ms. Masirkar cautioned students against the misconception that accidents only happen to people overspeeding on the highway. “Accidents can happen anywhere to anybody, even when driving at lower speeds, in safer areas. You can get hit by a truck or lose control due to potholes. I urge citizens to follow road rules for their own safety and not due to the fear of fines,” she said.

Ms. Masirkar said, “So far, we have only taken action according to the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, but from now on we will start taking action under the Indian Penal Code as well. Black spots, having the highest amount of traffic have been identified across the city and action is being taken accordingly.”

She sees the Metro, which is under construction, as a long-term solution to the traffic problem, but which also means more traffic for the next one or two years. “I urge citizens to cooperate with us. If rules are followed, traffic will be reduced substantially. People need to be more sensitive towards the issue. Nowadays, one household has four to five cars. It is not feasible to have so many in a city with limited space,” the DCP said.

Lisa Sadanah spoke about an accident she and her daughter went through while riding a scooter. “Children look up to their parents and learn from them. If parents are lax towards safety, children pick that up. I urge all the students present here to ensure that their parents don’t leave the house without a helmet, and to ensure you have a helmet everytime you ride a bike, no matter how long the journey might be,” she said.

Manali Ingle, of The Hindu said, “Head injuries are the most common cause of death in two-wheeler accidents. The risk of such deaths can be reduced substantially if one wears a helmet. It is important not only for the driver but also for the pillion rider, and more so when it is a child. Special helmets are available for children. Only buy helmets with the Indian Standards Institute mark and do not use one for more than five years.”

Similar drives have been conducted in Vadodara, Coimbatore, Dehradun, Lucknow and Ranchi. Sixty schools have been covered in the city so far, with more to follow.