Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Take care of your head

With more vehicles hitting the city roads, it is essential to make helmets compulsory , say V.S. Palaniappan and M. Soundariya Preetha

IN DELHI, two-wheeler drivers face penalty if they do not wear helmet. And, it is not just that, the helmet should be ISI marked too.

Though everybody knows about the safety aspects of driving and the need for use of helmets, unless it is mandatory its usage will not go up, says K. Kathirmathiyon, secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause. "When made compulsory it should be ISI marked, otherwise it will not serve the purpose."

But helmets are not covered under the mandatory list of ISI certification, says an official of the Bureau of Indian Standards here. For those manufacturers who seek ISI certification, the norms are stringent since it is related to safety of human life. It is only public awareness that will ensure use of ISI marked helmets, he adds.

In Tamil Nadu there is no rule that makes wearing of helmets mandatory hence the question of enforcement does not arise. Rule that makes helmets mandatory was withdrawn nearly a decade ago.

The mindset of the motorists in the State is that they tend to violate the rules in the absence of a traffic constable. Motorists should change their mindset. Adherence to road rules should not be borne out of the fear of enforcement but motorists should realise that they are meant for their safety. Enforcement would never help in bringing about an attitudinal change in the minds of the motorists. The same theory holds good in respect of helmets as well. Hence, the police officers feel that educating them on the need for helmets to protect their head would serve the purpose.

The Inspector-General of Police, West Zone, K. Rajendran, says that there is no purpose in wearing any helmet that are not certified for their quality.

Motorist should not compromise on their safety for the sake of cost. They should go in for certified sturdy helmets to protect their heads while on road. The police in West Zone would soon be launching an awareness campaign to cover more than 10 lakh motorists. Student volunteers on roads would reach out to them with pamphlets and handbills on road safety and especially on the need for wearing for helmets.

The Commissioner of Police, Coimbatore City, C.K. Gandhi Rajan, points out that the City Police will rope in the services of college students for creating awareness on the need for helmets. Whenever a motorist is caught for violating any

road rule, the police would educate them on the need for helmets rather than enforcing it.

The public should be educated on the number of fatal accidents especially those arising out of head injuries and such a drive would help in making them understand the need for helmets.

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