HYDERABAD: Gowtham Dev Gadai and Pradeep Reddy died in separate road accidents in the city in November 2020, but a common factor in their accidents was the fact that both motorists were not wearing a helmet properly.
Though wearing a helmet can save you during road accidents, the chances of escaping serious injury or death are less if it is not worn properly. In the two accidents — at Cyber tower junction, Madhapur and at Turkayamjal, Adibatla — the riders were, in fact, wearing good quality helmets, but had not strapped them, which resulting in their deaths. As per the Motor Vehicles Act, not only wearing a helmet, but wearing it properly and strapping it is mandatory.
Section 129 of the Act states, “Every person driving or riding a motorcycle of any class or description shall, while in a public place, wear protective headgear.” The Act also explains that ‘protective headgear’ means a helmet which is securely fastened to the head of the wearer by means of straps or other fastenings provided on the headgear.
SM Vijay Kumar, DCP (Traffic), Cyberabad police, says though people have started wearing helmets, a majority of them do not strap them. In as many as 90 per cent of deaths in accidents involving bikes, the riders are without helmets, or wouldn’t have worn it properly as they would have failed to strap it or would have used a poor quality helmet, the DCP said.
In Gowtham Dev’s case at Cyber tower junction, Madhapur, a speeding Mercedes car jumped the signal and hit his bike. Dev died on the spot and his wife sustained injuries. In Pradeep Reddy’s case, an SUV hit his bike, killing him and his mother on the spot.
In both incidents, the helmets of the riders came off their heads, causing severe injuries to their heads, and subsequently their instant deaths. Vijay Kumar adds that the Cyberabad police have also started registering cases for not strapping helmets, which are detected by cameras installed on roads. “If a helmet is not strapped, the straps fly while riding. Based on this, they are booked for the violation,” he said.
Section 129 of Motor Vehicles Act
‘Protective headgear’ means a helmet which is securely fastened to the head of the wearer by means of straps or other fastenings provided on the headgear.