Starting from December 1, Kerala will extend the helmet rule to pillion riders in the state. On Tuesday, the state government informed the high court that the Union government’s amended rules will be implemented in Kerala.
In August 2019, the central government had amended the rules to make helmets mandatory for pillion riders. The amendment specified that wearing a helmet was compulsory for all two wheeler riders above the age of 4.
The state government had earlier filed an appeal challenging a single bench order of the high court imposing the helmet rule for pillion riders. The government has now withdrawn this appeal.
A division bench of the Kerala HC had earlier rejected this appeal filed by the state government against the single bench order, and asked the state to submit within a week its stance on imposing the central government rules. If the state failed to do so, the court said that it would be forced to issue a circular enforcing the rule. The division bench stated that an exemption cannot be granted for Kerala alone when a central government law exists.
Following this, the Kerala government informed the court that it would implement the rule in the state and also offer publicity.
Earlier, the Kerala government exempted the pillion riders by amending the Central Motor Vehicles Act 1988. However, challenging this move, TU Raveendra, a resident of Palluruthy in Kochi had filed an appeal against the state government’s exemption in 2015. Based on this appeal, the Kerala High Court decided to make helmets mandatory for all riders except those below 4 years of age.
According to reports, Kerala topped the list of highest number of cases in which pillion riders suffered injuries owing to not wearing helmets.
Over 3,721 persons suffered grievous injuries in 2018 under such a category, racing ahead of other states with more vehicle density like Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
The state government released an order on Tuesday making the rule compulsory in the state.