Last year, 2024, 7514 deaths that happened in road accidents in Maharashtra comprised of people who were riding two wheelers.
Total fatalities in road accidents in Maharashtra took a 0.02% dip, the figure came down from 15,366 to 15,335.
Out of these deaths, 3220 who died were pedestrians, that is 21% of all deaths were people who were not even using a vehicle.
Out of the 7,514 deaths of those who were using two wheeler vehicles, 67%, that is 5,034 people died because they were without a helmet.
Wearing a helmet is a mandatory across the country, yet one notices that this rule is more flouted than followed.
In many states like Gujarat, almost 95% of people can be seen riding a two wheeler without a helmet.
Even if people do wear a helmet, out of fear of being stopped and penalized for violating the law, they don’t wear it properly, the harness that is supposed to hold the helmet over the head is often loose or unbuckled. Many wear substandard helmets, that do not meet the BIS norms or wear riding helmets / safety helmets used in construction sites.
5000+ lives being lost in one single state is no small matter. Lax application of the law by traffic police is another reason why people are able to avoid wearing a helmet.
It is a crying shame that five thousand families were affected due to this negligence on the part of riders and the traffic police’s inability to enforce a safety measure that can save lives.
Next time, you take a ride, ensure that you are wearing a helmet and that it is properly strapped to your head. Otherwise, next year, you may become part of the death statistic.
