The deaths involving two-wheeler riders has gone up from 57 percent in 2010 to 66 percent in 2014, till March.
Considering that violators get away by paying Rs 100, the government has written to Union Ministry for Road Transport proposing a five time hike in the fines to Rs 500 for general offences including non-wearing of helmets, rash and negligent driving, over speeding, etc.
Addressing the gathering during the launch of 4th Road Safety Week, Transport Minister Ramakrishna Dhavalikar said, “Wearing helmets will not reduce accidents, but deaths can be controlled.” The minister said that rash driving and lack of traffic sense are prime causes of road accidents.
Director Transport Arun Desai warned that “no exemption of any kind will be given to any person or group, of two-wheelers and pillions on national or state highways and the interior roads, as it will be compulsory for them to wear helmet from October 2”. He said that Section 129 of the Motor Vehicle (MV) Act makes wearing helmet compulsory on all roads.
As per the statistics, from January to March 2014, 1143 cases of road mishap including fatal and non fatal category were reported resulting in 79 deaths, of which 53 were two-wheeler riders.
In 2010, a total of 4,570 accidents were reported with 311 deaths that included 179 two-wheeler riders. In 2011, the total number of accidents and deaths were marginally less numbering 4558 and 305. However, lives lost in two-wheeler accidents continued to be constant at 170. The year 2012 reported 4312 accidents with total 217 deaths, with 167 involving two-wheeler riders. The number of deaths rose up to 261 in 2013, when the state witnessed 4291 accidents. However, the death of two-wheeler riders continued to be same.
“While there is decline in total number of deaths, there is substantial rise in deaths involving two-wheeler riders. The toll has gone up from 57 per cent to 66 per cent,” Desai said. The theme of the Road Safety week is “Helmet-wear if you care”.
Desai said that department through traffic policy would be undertaking one month awareness drive, wherein people found without helmet would be called to ADT office where they would be delivered lecture on road safety. “We will not challan them during this period,” he said.
The inaugural function of the traffic safety week was held at V M Salgoncar College of Law, Miramar. The other dignitaries present include SP traffic Arvind Gawas, Principal of V M Salgoncar college Dr K S Rao, Senior president and chief sustainability officer-Yes Bank Amita Vikas and former assistant director transport Servo Fernandes.
