Helmets mandatory for children above 6 years travelling on two-wheelers: Senior police officer

BENGALURU: The city traffic police have made helmets mandatory for children aged over 6 years. The traffic police are planning to conduct special drives near schools to sensitise two-wheeler riders, said Joint Commissioner of Police (Trafficc) M N Anucheth.

Parents must also wear helmets whlike dropping off their children at school or picking them up. The department will take action against parents who carry more than two members on a two-wheeler and fines will be levied for triple-riding on bikes. Also, carrying more than three schoolchildren in autorickshaws is also an offense. Some auto drivers carry 10 children in autos or cabs, which is wrong and dangerous, the officer explained.

Anucheth said, action will be taken against those who carry more than three passengers or children in an auto and six children in Maruti Omni vans. “We have seen Omni vans carrying ten children and this is an offence. There is no exemption for them. We have seen that parents who drop their children off at school are also not wearing helmets”, he said.

Many complaints were received against those who carry more children than the specified number. Following instances of helmetless riding near schools, the police have prepared for conduct a special drive near schools, he added.