KOCHI: “My hairstyle will get spoilt”, “I forgot to carry one”, “I couldn’t find mine” -- excuses are galore for motorcycle riders to not wear a helmet. But if you think you can get away with the offence by paying a minor penalty and offering a generic excuse, think twice, because the cop penalising you now has the authority to suspend your licence as well, says the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD).
According to the Motor Vehicle Rule Section 194(d), if the motorcyclist isn’t wearing a helmet, the official flagging him for the violation can fine him `1,000, which the violator has to pay mandatorily. There is also a provision in the rule to suspend the licence of the violator for three months.
While the state government had reduced the fine amount to `200 by using the authority provided to it by Motor Vehicle Rule 200, as per the sub-rule (2) in the second section, even if the motorcyclist pays the compounding fee, they will not be able to escape from getting their licence suspended, attending a driver refresher course, and community service.
From October 1, 2020, as per the Motor Vehicle Rule 206 sub-section(4), police officers have been given the authority to recommend the cancellation of the violator’s driving licence and confiscate the same to send it to the driving authority. As per official data, if all riders wear a helmet, road accident-related deaths in the state can be reduced by 20 per cent.