At a time when Bengaluru is outraged over the deaths of people on account of potholes on the city’s roads, the state government is planning to make helmet compulsory even for pillion riders including children.
If the new rules come into effect, all pillion riders will have to wear helmets. The state government announced its decision to amend the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Act last Friday, and objections can be filed up to September 30.
However, along with this amendment, the state government is also planning to make helmets compulsory for two-wheeler riders across the state. Currently, only riders are supposed to wear protective head gear within the municipal limits of Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi and Dharwad and Belagavi.
In other cities, such as Kolkata the rule has been in force for some time, Delhi implemented the rule in August 2014, and Tamil Nadu in July. In June 2014, Goa made it made the rule applicable to the whole state but only for riders.