Tamil Nadu   

Mindset overrides safety concerns

Santhanalakshmi Subramanian

FOR SAFE RIDE: The State Government has made helmet compulsory in Tamil Nadu from June 1. — Photo: K. Ananthan

COIMBATORE: With just a day to go for the compulsory helmet rule to take effect in the Corporation areas, two-wheeler riders are yet to gear up for the rule on headgears. Meanwhile, a debate is raging as to whether this rule is required. "Should the wearing of a helmet be made compulsory as a rule rather than the two-wheeler riders coming forward to use it? Will a rule help in changing their mindset in a positive manner?," ask some social activists.

The two-wheeler population in the city as per the Regional Transport Office records stands at 5,40,116. But if you browse the traffic, only one out of ten two-wheeler riders use helmet.

"I am aware of the `rule' and I do have a helmet at home. But then there's still plenty of time left," said a rider on Avanashi Road. Most of the two-wheeler riders came out with flippant comments and trivial reasons for not wearing helmets.

"It's a big burden on our head," said P. Mohan, a medical representative. Studies have revealed that road accidents have claimed more lives than battlefields.

The Deputy Transport Commissioner, Coimbatore, T. Gunasekaran, pointed out that the question of being a huge burden did not hold water because "safety matters more than convenience." Besides current day helmets are light, even featherweight.

On complaints of sweating and resultant health problems, Mr. Gunasekaran dismissed them as lame excuses and said that helmet designs had been improved with adequate ventilation. He also lamented that most of the two-wheelers, in a bid to evade the eyes of enforcement agencies, were going in for cheap helmets sold on the roadsides ranging from Rs 200 to Rs 300. Whereas, quality helmets with safety standards and certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) range from Rs 500 to Rs 1,400 depending on the model and the inbuilt features.

Helmet dealers said that despite the announcement, the sale had not picked up. According to them, at least 50 per cent of the riders were yet to buy helmets.

However, the Government has also announced that two-wheeler dealers should henceforth sell helmets along with the vehicle.

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