The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Helmets will be mandatory, declares Prakash

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 14, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Helmets will be mandatory, declares Prakash

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The Government has ruled out reconsidering the decision to make it mandatory for two-wheeler riders and pillion passengers to wear helmets.

Home Minister M.P. Prakash said this in the Legislative Council on Thursday when the Congress member R.V. Venkatesh said that helmets should be optional considering the traffic congestion in Bangalore, in particular, and the consequent slow speed of vehicles.

Mr. Prakash said the Government had amended the Karnataka Motor Vehicle Rules making the wearing of helmets mandatory acting on the direction given by the Karnataka High Court on October 7, 2003.

The helmet rule, to be enforced from July 31, was only a preventive measure, the Minister said.

Therefore, it was illogical to argue that wearing a helmet was no guarantee against death due to injuries caused in accidents, Mr. Prakash told Marithibbe Gowda.

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