Next time if you are charged Rs 1000 for riding without a helmet, you cannot say that you haven't been warned. The Chennai city Traffic police has sent a warning note to motorists who do not wear a helmet
since the recently amended Motor Vehicles Act is to be implemented in a few weeks.
According to the amendments passed in the Parliament recently, the penalty for riding without a helmet has been raised from Rs 100 to Rs 1000 and this is to be implemented in a few weeks.
The press release from the traffic police read that the victims of the road accidents these days were mostly young and 90 per cent of them died due to head injuries caused in accidents.
A Arun, Additional Commissioner of Police, Traffic, told Express, "Earlier when the helmet rule was implemented in full force there were many incidents were the public assaulted and got into an argument
with the police personnel. Though the High Court was repeatedly requesting the public to wear helmets, when we enforced it, people were annoyed with us saying that we did not inform them of the rule
beforehand. So we are notifying the public now about the revised penalty."
He added that the traffic police have already started to penalise drivers and pillion riders for travelling without helmet. After the implementation of the new Motor Vehicle Act, the pillion rider will also be issued a fine of Rs 1000.
“Nobody can anticipate when and where an accident will take place. Even at a short distance of 10 feet to the destination, accidents happen and people lose their lives. Regardless of the number of awareness programmes being held among the public, road traffic accidents can be prevented only if motorists realize their responsibility and follow the traffic rules with self-discipline,” read the press release by the Chennai traffic police.