Riding a two-wheeler without wearing a helmet will now result in the suspension of driving licence.
The Transport Commissioners’ office has issued a direction to joint commissioners of all divisions stating that the new rule is in sync with the directions of the Supreme Court to check deaths and injuries in road accidents and that it would be implemented with “immediate effect”. The suspension of driving licence will be for a minimum of three months along with fine.
According to the October 16 document, the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety held a meeting with the Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka, and other departments on October 5 and directed the State government to implement the rule of imposing fine along with suspension of licence for not wearing helmet.
A senior official of the Transport Department said: “The rule has been implemented with immediate effect across the State. Both, the rider and the pillion should wear helmet.”
According to Section 129 of the Motor Vehicles Act, every person driving or riding (otherwise than in a side car, on a motor cycle of any class or description) shall, while in a public place, wear protective headgear conforming to the standards of Bureau of Indian Standards.
A senior police officer of Bengaluru Traffic Police said riding without helmet was the highest among traffic violations in the city and that such infringements had increased after easing of the lockdown restrictions.
Between September 13 and 19, the traffic police had booked 43,141 cases of traffic violations and collected ₹2.14 crore fine, and the next week, 55,717 cases were booked and ₹2.35 crore was collected.
As many as 26,590 cases were related to helmetless riding during the September 13 to 19 week, while in the next week, the figure was 29,925.