Bengaluru, Oct 20 Driving two-wheelers without a helmet or not ensuring that a four-year-old child is wearing a helmet while riding will now prove costly for riders in Karnataka.
The state's transport authorities made it clear in a directive issued on Monday that helmets are mandatory for all two-wheeler riders who are more than four years old.
Erring riders will face a three-month suspension of their driving license along with a penalty.
According to Section 129 of the Motor Vehicles Act, every person driving or riding (otherwise than in a sidecar, on a motorcycle of any class or description) shall, while in a public place, wear protective headgear conforming to the Bureau of Indian Standards.
The law prescribes that violators be fined Rs 1,000 and their licenses suspended for three months.
Karnataka had reduced the fine amount to Rs 500 and the three-month suspension rule was never used.
This new order comes after the Supreme Court's direction to the state's Road Safety Committee to strictly enforce the helmet-wearing rule for all persons travelling on two-wheelers.
The new Motor Vehicles Act came into effect from September 1, 2019 but there has been a lack of enforcement on the ground.
Karnataka has 1.65 crore registered two-wheelers, including 59.9 lakh in Bengaluru.
( With inputs from IANS )
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