PATNA: The Patna police caught and fined nearly 1,400 people on Monday when the rule prescribing helmets for
pillion riders
came into effect in the city.
Patna SP (traffic) P K
Das
said it was not a special drive to end soon. "This will continue and we will ensure every biker as well as every pillion rider wears the
helmet
," he said.
According to Section 129 of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, helmet is mandatory for pillion riders. The provision is included under Section 196 in the
Bihar Motor Vehicle Regulation, 1992.
"A pillion rider not wearing a helmet can be fined a minimum of Rs 100. Repeat offenders can be fined more heavily," Das said.
While traffic police teams fined 968 people, personnel of local police stations fined 414 people for not wearing helmet. "Girls are completely unaware about the law. It was a tough task making them understand that pillion riders on their scooty also have to wear helmets," said
Lakshman Prasad
, a traffic police constable.
Traffic cops said many bikers thought there was no such rule and that policemen were extracting money from them illegally. "Many of them 'googled' on their cellphones to see the legal provision before paying us the fine," said a traffic police officer.