With grace time over, all pillion riders must wear helmets - Feb 1

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Feb 01, 2016 : Grace time has ended on Jan 31; now all pillion riders in the city have to wear helmets compulsorily from February 1, today. Though the government had notified the mandatory helmets for pillion riders rule on December 28 with a grace period for two wheeler riders to fall in line for 15 days, Dakshina Kannada Traffic police had given an extra grace period. 

Today, traffic cops will enforce the rule and a first time offender will be fined Rs100. But a third time offender may lose his/her driving license, if the pillion rider does not wear helmet.

Mangaluru city Traffic Police assistant commissioner of police (Traffic) Uday Nayak said: Yes, we will start from tomorrow. The law applicable to the whole state and the grace period we had given to public is over. They should comply with the law or risk their lives and pay penalty .

But the most affected will be the two wheeler riders in taluks of Puttur, Belthangady, Sullia, Bantwal and Mangaluru, outside City Corporation limits, where it was not even mandatory for riders to wear helmets;  Now both rider and the pillion have to wear the helmet. 

This is evident from the sales at helmet dealerships. One owner of a motor accessories on Balmatta road said: We don’t have many inquiries/ buyers from city as they already have two to three helmets. Here riders change helmets once in eight or nine months, since the fabric and material gets damaged due to rains or will have a strong unpleasant smell due to sweat.  Now seen are riders from peripheral areas who will have to toe the line.