The Karnataka transport department has decided to suspend driving licences for 3 months if a 2-wheeler rider is caught riding without a helmet. The move comes in the backdrop of an increase in the number of bikers being booked for not wearing helmets while riding.
According to the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, riding without a helmet will attract Rs thousand fine & a 3-month suspension of the licence. The state had reduced the fine to Rs five hundred.
In B’luru, 20.7L cases booked for helmet-less rides till Sept 2020
Transport officials said the Supreme Court-appointed committee on road safety held a video conferencing on Oct 14 & recommended stringent action against the violators.
“Two-wheelers are more vulnerable to road accidents. They will have to pay fine & face a three-month DL suspension in case of a violation,” said a transport department official. At present, the driving licence of a person caught drunk-driving is suspended for 6 months.
Karnataka has 1.6 crore registered two-wheelers & nearly 60 lakh of them are in Bengaluru. The number of cases by booked by Bengaluru traffic police against riders without a helmet was 16.4 lakh in 2018, 20.3 lakh in 2019 & 20.7 lakh till Sept 2020. Similarly, number of cases booked against pillion rider without a helmet was 13.4 lakh in 2018, 12.9 lakh in 2019 & 12.5 lakh in 2020 (till September).
An Ex-Transport Department Official said that “Not wearing helmet is a compoundable offence. Why should only riding without helmet attract three months of DL suspension? What about other violations — overspeeding & dangerous driving? This will lead to corruption as traffic cops may demand bribe for not sending the DL to transport department.”
Bengaluru’s joint commissioner (traffic) BR Ravikanthe Gowda welcomed the move & said it’ll deter bikers from riding without a helmet & reduce the number of deaths caused by accidents. “This is a step towards making our roads safe for all,” he added.
Source LInk
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