Helmet rule in force in TN

Chennai, June 1 (UNI) The mandatory rule of wearing helmet for two-wheeler riders, came into force in six Municipal Corporations of Tamil Nadu from today.

The six municipal corporations were Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Salem, Tirunalveli and Tiruchirapalli.

The new rule also made helmet wearing mandatory for pillion riders including women and children.

Apart from this, the rule, providing for compulsory wearing of seat belts for car passengers in front seats also came into effect from today.

Police said the state government had decided to make wearing of helmet and seat belt compulsory in the wake of alarming increase in casualties in road accidents involving two wheelers and cars.

Traffic police were posted at 300 places in the city to monitor the regulation. The cops, however, refrained from imposing any penalty. The offenders were let off with a warning to obey the rule.

The order would come into force in a phased manner, starting with municipal corporation limits.

It would be made compulsory throughout the state from June 30, police said.

Earlier, the government on March 8, 1985 made helmet wearing compulsory, following a report from a group of neurosurgeons that riding two-wheelers without helmet would prove more fatal in case of accidents.

But the order was withdrawn on June 26, 1989, following representations from two-wheeler riders in the state.

Recently, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Madras High Court, seeking direction from the Court to make helmet-wearing mandatory.

As per the Court's direction, the state government gave an undertaking in the court that it would be done in stages.

Police have warned that a fine of Rs 100 would be levied at each instance, if the rider was found not wearing helmet.

UNI