Helmet must for pillion riders, warn Hyderabad Traffic Police

After taking up awareness programmes on the helmet rule for pillion riders, the Hyderabad Traffic Police are now going all out to book cases against motorists allowing a pillion rider to accompany them without wearing a helmet. In 2021, the Traffic Police booked 11,54,463 cases against vehicle owners for allowing pillion riders to travel without a helmet.

In the special drive carried out between December 4 and December 11 alone, the Traffic Police booked 27,306 cases against motorists on this count, while the cases booked against drivers without a helmet were 60,038.

“It is the responsibility of the owner of the two-wheeler to ensure that the pillion rider wears a helmet. The pillion rider is as much at risk of losing his or her life as the driver,” City Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar said, adding that it was seen on many occasions that the rider of the two-wheeler was saved because of wearing a helmet while the pillion rider



was killed because there was no helmet. The Traffic Police, for the last few months, have taken up a vigorous campaign to promote the use of the helmet by pillion riders.

DCP (Traffic) LS Chauhan said the Traffic Police were taking pictures of violations of the helmet rule by both the rider and the pillion. “In several accidents, the police noticed that women who ride pillion lost their lives as they were not wearing a helmet. If the pillion wears a helmet, the injuries are restricted to fractures of hands or legs and are not fatal. So it is always recommended that the pillion, even children, is encouraged to wear helmets,” he said.

Cases are booked under the Motor Vehicle Act. The fine amount varies for each violation and in all cases, the vehicle owner has to pay it. “So it is the responsibility of the vehicle owner to ensure the pillion also wears a helmet. There is no exemption from the rule for anyone,” the police say.