With City Patrol Unit (CPU) drawing flak for strictly enforcing rules, forcing the bike-riders sitting on the saddle and those on the pillions to wear helmets, an incident has occurred in Nehru Colony in Dehradun that shows how essential it is to put the helmets on rightly to safeguard oneself in case a mishap occurs.
Senior TV journalist Manoj Kandwal who was riding a Scooty sustained serious head injury after his two-wheeler was hit by another bike coming from the opposite direction at Pulia-6, Nehru Colony on Tuesday night. He was going home from his office after his duty was over when the collision occurred. He wore the helmet, but had not cared to buckle the straps. He slipped into coma a few hours after the accident had happened. He was admitted at a hospital where he is still struggling for life. The serious injury might have been averted had he cared to fasten the straps rightly, said a police officer.
Observers say challan-induced fear with CPU personnel keeping hawk-eyed vigil round the clock has to some extent succeeded in forcing the bike- riders to wear helmets. “But they are still not aware enough of the importance of putting the helmets rightly. Such casual approach would continue to cost them dear unless they are aware of the importance of wearing helmets seriously in their own interests,” an observer said.
According to the Motor Vehicles Act (1988) — (MV Act 129/177), the person not wearing a helmet while riding a two- wheeler is slapped with a fine Rs100. "This rule is implemented here too, and every day, at least a 100 people are fined for not wearing helmets. However, it is next to impossible for us to mark and grab every offender,” said another traffic police officer.
Recounting another incident, another traffic police officer said that a bike rider had died a few days ago due to the same casual approach. “I found him lying in a pool of blood after the accident occurred. He was rushed to a hospital where he was declared brought dead. He had sustained severe head injuries that led to his death. He wore the helmet, yet did not care to buckle the straps rightly,” he said.
More often than not, the cause of death involving two-wheeler accidents is head injuries. “While helmet is a life saver, many tend to mock it as a 'novice device' and ‘an insult to machismo’ to their own peril,” the observer added.
A CPU personal said that they are happy that a majority of the bike- riders are now wearing helmets. “We are cried foul of when we challan the law -violators for not donning helmets. But we do not mind. When they would realise that wearing helmets would spare them such fatal injuries and their families of the agony that await them our mission would be fulfilled. Of course, we would now see to it that the bike- riders buckle the straps the right way,” he said.