Helmet mandatory for two-wheeler riders: Collector

Eluru: District Collector K Vetri Selvi has said that it is mandatory for two-wheeler riders to wear helmets for safe travel and they will be punished if they do not. A meeting of the District Road Safety Committee was held under her chairmanship Collectorate here on Friday. The Collector along with District SP K Pratap Siva Kishore reviewed the road safety measures with the officials concerned.

On the occasion, Collector Vetri Selvi pointed out that many two-wheeler riders die in road accidents because they do not wear helmets. She made it clear that cases will be registered against motorists who do not wear helmets, stating that this is not a threat to anyone and it is a safeguard for their safe journey.

She stated that wearing a helmet not only saves their lives during road accidents but also enhances safety of their families. Riders who do not wear helmets will be fined under the Motor Vehicle Act. Vehicle inspections will be held at three areas in Eluru on Saturday - Vatlur, Fire Station Centre and CR Reddy Public School - and measures will be taken to impose fines on motorists who do not wear helmets as per the prescribed rules.

She said that the SP and herself will also participate in these inspections. The officials concerned were directed to hold a meeting with the owners of the respective two-wheeler showrooms in the district to ensure that a helmet must also be purchased by the motorist as per the rules at the time of purchasing the vehicle. Motorists should be made more aware of wearing helmets.

SP Pratap Siva Kishore spoke about the measures to be taken in the respective areas across the district to deal with road accidents through a power point presentation. Road safety should be recognised as everyone’s responsibility. There are eight patrolling vehicles related to NH in the district and they also want to work in coordination with police and transport departments. He made it clear that all relevant departments should work together to implement enforcement measures to prevent road accidents.

Along with appropriate measures to prevent road accidents, if everyone follows the road rules, accidents can be avoided and lives can be saved. They want to identify the areas that are prone to accidents in the district and come up with temporary and long-term remedies to prevent them.

The SP warned that proper safety measures should be taken while carrying out repairs on the national highway and cases should be registered against those concerned if road accidents occur due to non-observance of such measures.

In-charge Deputy Transport Commissioner KSMV Krishnam Raju, Eluru RDO Achyata Ambarish, R&B SE John Moshe, Eluru DSP Shravan Kumar, DEO S Abraham, DMHO Dr S Sharmishta, and others participated.