The Mumbai traffic police issued a notification recently making helmets required for pillion riders and warned anybody who broke the order will face legal consequences. The law will take effect after 15 days, at which point traffic authorities will begin taking action against violators. According to the notification, traffic officers discovered that most two-wheeler pillion riders in the city do not wear helmets and violate traffic laws.
A top police officer stated on Wednesday that the Mumbai Traffic Police will begin fining two-wheeler pillion riders who ride without a helmet on June 9. “We have observed that a substantial number of pillion riders in Mumbai do not wear helmets... We have given such citizens 15 days, after which we will start penalising the pillion riders.” - Raj Tilak Roushan, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic HQ).
When motorcyclists are detected without a helmet, cops issue them an E-Challan for a ₹500 fine and, sometimes, file a request with the regional transport office (RTO) to suspend the violator's driving licence for three months. In addition, violators must-watch traffic safety educational videos at local traffic police stations to explain the dangers of riding two-wheelers without a helmet. They must sign a document certifying that they have seen the educational videos after seeing the video.
Pillion riders who do not wear helmets will face a comparable punishment under Sections 129 and 194 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Between March 6 and May 22, traffic officers fined 1,86,142 two-wheeler riders for not wearing helmets and filed 10,077 requests to the Regional Transport Office (RTO) for driving licence suspension.
According to Roushan, every day an average of 1,200 two-wheeler motorcyclists are penalised for riding without a helmet. In addition, the police are writing to schools and colleges to raise awareness about road safety and helmet regulation.