This refers to the news item headlined "Pillion riders to wear helmets" ...TGE 22/04/2023. It may be recalled that Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho made a categorical statement at the time of enforcing revised fines for traffic violations that the state government would not enforce the pillion rider helmet rule. There seems to be a sudden U-turn by the Superintendent of Police (Traffic), of invoking the Motor Vehicles Act with the sole intention of raking in more moolah for the department after tasting first blood in mopping up exorbitant fines from helmetless riders.
With the collection of pillion rider fines the ill-gotten revenue thus mopped up will be manifold. As will be observed the traffic police fan out throughout the nooks and corners looking for helmetless riders and issuing challans at the drop of a hat. They are not worried about the ubiquitous pot-holed and dug up roads or for other speeding and overtaking offences. Instead of creating awareness and enforcing implementation of the two-helmet rule, the law enforcers should be inducted into a holistic road safety campaign instead of just targeting the hapless two-wheeler riders. In the interest of saving lives, the attribution to the increasing number of pillion rider fatalities sounds hollow. It may also be noted that a scooter is designed to accommodate a single helmet in the dicky. Instead of penalising the pillion rider, the traffic cops will do well to prevail on the scooter manufacturers to make provision for a two helmet space in their bikes. The un(holy) nexus between the police department and the manufacturers of ISI brand helmets needs to be explored before the awareness drive takes off. With the soaring temperatures, wearing helmets with hot air trapped inside may be a bane rather than a boon.
