Chennai: The Madras High Court sought to know why the compulsory helmet rule for pillion riders of two-wheelers and seat belt for occupants of car were not enforced effectively and directed the police to file a report on steps taken so far to implement it.
A bench comprising Justices S Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad gave the direction during the hearing of a petition seeking a direction to the police to ensure that helmet was worn by both the rider and the pillion rider as mandated in the Motor Vehicles Act.
“We have never seen a pillion rider wearing helmet though it is mandatory as per the Motor Vehicles Act,” the court said.
It directed the police to file a report on the steps taken by them for implementing the rule making wearing of helmet mandatory for the two-wheeler riders and pillion riders and adjourned the hearing.
Petitioner K K Rajendran, a city resident, submitted that according to a report released by the transport commissioner most of the road accidents was due to road users’ behaviour and lack of awareness about the helmet use.
The maximum fatalities were in accidents involving two wheelers, and not wearing of helmets was found to be the cause for it.
Besides, as per the Motor Vehicles Act, wearing seat belts by driver of a four-wheeler and persons occupying the front and front-facing rear seats was compulsory.
Even this rule was not being implemented in the state strictly, the petitioner added.