Traffic police crack down on bikers without helmets

NAVI MUMBAI: After conducting a ten-day drive in Zone I to crackdown on two-wheeler riders and pillion riders for not wearing helmet while driving, the Navi Mumbai traffic police started similar drive in zone 2 from Thursday.

The drive is being undertaken by the traffic police unit and the Regional Transport office (RTO) Panvel who have started catching offenders in areas such as Panvel, Kamothe, Kalamboli and Kharghar.

The move has been taken following an order from the Maharashtra state transport department which has made it mandatory for even the pillion riders to wear helmet while riding on a two-wheeler.

In the zone I drive, the traffic police booked more than 10,000 motorists and collected a fine of over Rs10 lakh.

Officials said that a majority of the road accidents involve two-wheeler sand bike rs suffer severe head injuries because of riding without helmets.

“We have started the drive long with traffic police in our jurisdiction to implement the new rule of pillion riders wearing helmet. It is necessary that the riders themselves understand the need to wear helmet to safeguard their own lives,” said Anand Patil, deputy regional transport officer (RTO) of Panvel.

Officials from the traffic department said that driving without helmet is one of the most common offences by motorists.

Under section 129 and 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act, it is mandatory for a two-wheeler rider and the pillion rider to wear a helmet and those found violating the provisions can be slapped with a fine of minimum Rs100.

OFFICIALS FROM THE TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT SAID THAT DRIVING WITHOUT HELMET IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON OFFENCES