Helmet a must for pillion riders from Jan 12

BENGALURU: Pillion riders, get set to wear helmets compulsorily from January 12. Transport minister B Ramalinga Reddy announced that the government had notified the rule on mandatory helmet wear for pillion riders on December 28, 2015. There was a grace period of 15 days which will expire on January 11. The traffic cops have been empowered to enforce the rule. Accordingly, a first and second-time offender will be fined Rs 100. But a third time offender may lose his/her driving licence if the pillion rider does not wear helmet. The rule is being implemented after the Supreme Court Committee of Road Safety directed the state to implement it at the earliest. This, after TOI reported on the government deferring the rule on December 26. The committee had notified the same to six states, including Karnataka, on August 18, 2015 to implement the rule. In a letter to the state government on December 28, 2015, the committee directed the state government to enforce the helmet rule immediately as two-wheelers contribute to 30% of the road accident deaths in Karnataka. "There have been allegations against the government that we are hand-in-glove with helmet manufacturers and trying to push for enforcement of the same. The government is abiding by the SC's direction, which if violated will lead to contempt of court. We have to send quarterly reports to the committee on implementation," he told TOI. However, the state is unofficially going to give two months for citizens to buy helmets before cracking the whip. Sources said that the traffic cops have been given oral instruction by the department not to penalize offenders till mid of March but enforce the rule such that offenders fall in line and awareness is created.