With an aim to reduce the rising number of road fatalities, Additional Director General of Police (Traffic) Maharashtra State has issued stern instructions to all police units and directed them to enforce a stricter helmet mandate across the State. This new rule will make it compulsory for both two-wheeler riders and their passengers to wear helmets at all times. The directive was sent to all police units across the State. According to the order, any rider or passenger found without a helmet will face penalties, with separate fines for each person. It may be mentioned here that over 300 persons were killed in road accidents in Nagpur city last year and most of them were killed due to severe head injuries as they were not wearing helmets.

 

The circular has underlined that enforcement of the helmet rule under sections 128 and 129 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, has not been as effective as expected in preventing such accidents. As a result, the department has instructed all traffic police officers to ensure strict adherence to the law. The new policy includes modifications to the electronic challan (e-challan) system which would enable the traffic police to issue separate fines for both the rider and the passenger. The senior police officials are expecting the impact of the new guidelines among the pillion riders. A senior official of Nagpur Traffic police stated that they would enforce the law as per the instructions received from the top rank officials.