Two-wheeler riding in Karnataka without helmet will be a costly affair now. Karnataka’s transport authorities made it clear in the new directive issued Monday that helmets are mandatory for all two-wheeler riders who are over four years of age. State govt has imposed a 3-month suspension of driving license along with a penalty in case of violation of the rule.
According to the Section 129 of the Motor Vehicles Act, every person driving or riding (otherwise than in a side car, on a motor cycle of any class or description) shall, while in a public place, wear protective headgear conforming to the standards of Bureau of Indian Standards.
The law prescribes violators to be fined with ₹1,000 and a three-month suspension of licence. Karnataka had reduced the fine amount to ₹500 and the the three-month suspension rule was never put into force. The stringent measures were put in place to curb the driving as riding without helmets remains one of the highest road violations in the state.
This new order comes after the Supreme Court’s direction to the state’s Road Safety Committee to strictly enforce the mandatory helmet-wearing rule for all persons traveling on two-wheelers in the state.
Karnataka has 1.65 crore registered two-wheelers including 59.9 lakh in Bengaluru.
Source: Live Mint
