Study reveals low helmet compliance among adult motorists in Tamil Nadu, with only 1 in 4 wearing helmets

The highest rate of compliance among children was observed in Salem and Tirunelveli districts, the report said.
Study reveals low helmet compliance among adult motorists in Tamil Nadu, with only 1 in 4 wearing helmets
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CHENNAI: Only one in four adult motorists riding two-wheelers in seven districts of Tamil Nadu, including Madurai and Tiruchy, wears a helmet, a study has found.

Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Cuddalore, Tiruvarur and Tiruvannamalai are the other five districts where helmet compliance among adults is below 25%, according to the study conducted by Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group (CAG).

The highest compliance of around 75% was observed in Coimbatore and Tirunelveli, while in Chennai and Salem, the compliance rate was above 50%. The highest rate of compliance among children was observed in Salem and Tirunelveli districts, the report said.

According to the study, the overwhelming belief by the riders on their ability to avoid road accidents and the general perception that helmets were unnecessary for short trips are the major reasons for the non-use of helmets. Parents transporting children to schools displayed the lowest compliance, the report said.

The CAG carried out the study at two traffic intersections each in 11 districts of Tamil Nadu in November 2024. In absolute numbers, 1,729 adults were observed in Chennai, of them, 1,023 were found wearing helmets. In Coimbatore, 2,565 of the 3,320 observed adults wore helmets.

However, the numbers were drastically low in districts like Madurai where only 242 of 2,034 observed adults wore helmets. Besides Madurai, compliance was also lower in Kancheepuram and Tiruvannamalai districts.

The low compliance among adults directly influences the low or nearly non-existent helmet use among children, the study said.

The compliance among children was negligible in Tiruchy, Madurai, Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram districts. In Chennai, too, it is below 25%, said the report.

‘Only 63% pillion riders follow regulations’

Contradicting the Greater Chennai Traffic Police reports of substantial helmet compliance rate among motorists, the study mentioned that only 63% of the people riding pillion adhere to the regulations.

Though Chennai recorded 3,654 road accidents involving two-wheelers in 2024, the fatalities due to non-usage of helmets was only nine of the 504 deaths, said the report. The highest fatalities due to non-use of helmets was reported from Cuddalore (84), followed by Kancheepuram (31), Chengalpattu (15) and Coimbatore (15), it added.

Enforcement of regulations, coupled with educational initiatives significantly enhances the effectiveness. Conducting joint campaigns was found to be eight times more effective than enforcement and 12 times more effective than education, CAG said.

The report suggested that the state must ensure standard helmets are widely available and affordable, especially in rural and low-income areas. Likewise, standards must be developed for lightweight and climate-appropriate helmets that can address common complaints about discomfort, it added.

Strategies to overcome resistance to helmet use in India include promoting helmet designs suitable for Indian weather conditions, the report added.

Fact file

TN witnessed a daily average of 50 fatalities due to road accidents.

Two-wheelers accounted for 44.22% of all road accident fatalities.

A total of 29.9% of such fatalities involved individuals not wearing helmets.

Coimbatore, Tirunelveli, Salem and Chennai districts have the highest helmet compliance levels among adults.

Salem and Tirunelveli districts have the highest helmet compliance levels among children.

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