Helmet must for pillion riders

SNS SILIGURI, 12 APRIL: The pillion riders on two-wheeler will have to wear helmets in Siliguri. Siliguri Traffic Police is set to enforce the rules of making wearing of helmets mandatory in this, week for even pillion riders in view of road accidents.

It appears two deaths in road accidents with in a span of three days prompted police to enforce the rules.

"Siliguri Traffic police is going to enforce the rules of wearing of helmets by all the riders on two-wheeler even the pillion riders for safety, to prevent injuries and deaths, in this week,' said deputy commissioner of police, traffic, Siliguri Metropolitan Police, Sunil Yadav. "The riders have become aware about wearing helmets, now in the next step traffic police will enforce mandatory wearing of helmets by pillion rider,The offenders will be penalisied. Before the enforcement police will go for awareness campaigns," Mr Yadav said.

The rules has been implemented under section 129 of the Central Motor Vehicles Act ,1988, which stated that the helmets worn by the rider and pillion rider should conform to the Bureau of Indian Standards.

Mr Yadav said every motorist should be aware about the rules.

A six-year old child riding pillion died after a fatal fall from a bike as he fell asleep and was crushed under the wheels of a lorry at Salugra on Friday,a 24-year old youth riding motorbike died on road accident at Burdawan Road on Sunday.

"In both the cases the deceased did not wear helmets. Wearing helmets is mandatory for children above five years and women riding pillion. We have tightened the noose around two wheeler riders by making the helmet compulsory for those riding pillion," said a senior traffic police officer.

Mr Yadav said the incidents of the fatal deaths and serious injuries in road accidents in Siliguri had come down to around 20% following the introduction of 'Safe Drive Save Life' campaign in the past one year.

'There were 14 deaths in December, last year, it was 12 in January, four deaths in February while there was no death in March," he said,