COIMBATORE: To ensure safety of bikers, police conducted special helmet-checking drives at 15 locations across the city on Friday.
A total of 400 police personnel and around 200 volunteers from NGOs took part in the drive. Bikers who were found without helmets were booked and penalized on the spot. After that, they were made to sit in the awareness sessions. Those who were in an emergency were let off with a warning, said N Mathivanan, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic).
The drive was initiated with the help of NGOs. It was held at 15 places, mostly near educational institutions, which helped police to hold the awareness sessions on their premises. As per sources, 3, 875 people attended the awareness sessions. 1282 people were found without helmets and the remaining 2543 had helmets but did not use them while on the move . 937 people who were found without helmets were booked and others were released with a warning.
The drive was held at Kalappatti road, Codissia, Nava India junction, BPL Corner, Sathyamangalam check post, Thudiyalur road, Gandhipuram, Singanallur police station, Pollachi road, Palakkad road, Mettupalayam road, Thadagam road and DB road in RS Puram. Police plan to conduct the drive once a week to make people wear helmets.