Cops issue appreciation certificates to biker & pillion with helmets

CHENNAI: City police has decided to give an appreciation certificate to bike riders and their pillion riders if they are riding wearing helmets.

"For receiving the certificate, both rider and pillion should be wearing helmets" stated the official and the drive was launched on Tuesday in the city.

Greater Chennai traffic police is taking efforts through effective enforcement, education and engineering to reduce accidents.

GCTP has registered a total of 10,08,528 cases for not wearing helmet of which 9,50,702 cases are for riders and 57,826 cases for pillion riders from 1 January 2022 to 12 February 2023.

An analysis of the fatal accidents for the year 2022 shows that out of 500 fatal accidents due to which 508 deaths occurred, 49.10% of deaths involve two wheeler rider/pillion rider as a victim who were not wearing helmet.

While all road users should take utmost efforts to follow rules and good driving/riding behavior, still some accidents may take place.

Studies are very clear that riders as well as pillion riders are at equal risk and the law makes it compulsory to wear helmet for the rider as well as pillion rider.

However, a recent study shows that only 85% of riders and 13% of pillion riders are wearing helmet.

While our enforcement drive will continue, to show that GCTP not only penalizes the violators but also expresses its gratitude and encourages the road users, an exercise of appreciation to the riders and pillion riders for their contribution to road safety, said Kapil Kumar C. Sarathkar, Additional Commissioner of Police, Traffic, Chennai.

In this regard, appreciation certificates were distributed to those riders and pillion riders who were wearing helmet by Shankar Jiwal , Commissioner of Police, in the City Police Office (CPO) junction.

All over the city, every police station will distribute 100 appreciation certificates covering a total of 5,600 such certificates to encourage the public to keep up the practice of wearing helmets in compliance with the traffic rules and regulations, a release from city traffic police said.

The receivers of the certificates were requested to continue wearing helmet and also follow other traffic rules and regulations.

They were also requested to share the certificate with their near and dear ones through Social media, post as their DP & status, release added.