Show helmet and fill petrol in Bihar

Riding a two-wheeler without helmet is a common site in many cities in India. As per government records, more than 70 percent of the fatal road accidents involving two wheelers are due to head injuries.  And most of them die due to non-wearing of helmet. As few state governments made it mandatory to wear headgear, Bihar has just joined the bandwagon to reduce the fatality on city roads. 

In a unique order, the Nitish Kumar government has asked the petrol pump owners to deny petrol to bikers who do not wear helmet. Police in the past had launched a special drive against those not wearing helmet. Ranchi police early this month had also started garlanding such riders.

Petrol pump owners have also been asked to set up CCTV cameras. They have also asked to note down the number of a two-wheeler if its rider is without a helmet and tries to get petrol by force.

But will it make bikers adhere road-safety rule? There are people who carry helmet for academic purpose tied in the helmet lock, to just get away from the preying cops. In Chennai, when the DMK government imposed strictures on the bikers to wear helmet, very many protested and opposition made a statement that the move was to fill the coffers of helmet companies close to ministers. 

Women in particular, have argued that wearing helmet would disturb their hair style, trigger hair fall etc. In Chandigarh, when the rule was first implemented, the government first exempted ‘sardars’ from wearing helmet. Later, after a series of protests from women organisations, the police relaxed rule further for fairer sex.  All these show that the administrations are not able to implement the rule, even if it is beneficial for the people, because the latter’s participation is nill.

The bikers can wear helmet before entering the pumping station and once fill their tank, they can tie the helmet again in the lock and ride away. No one can stop them filling their vehicles’ tank.  If the government wants to implement rules on road safety, it should also come simultaneously from the society. People should overwhelmingly follow traffic rules. Also, those who do not want to follow the rules for trivial reasons should be dealt with seriously. Apart from fines and other regular punishments, the habitual offenders’ license should be cancelled permanently.