Question : PROTECTIVE HEADGEAR FOR MOTORCYCLE RIDERS

(a) the details of the provisions contained in the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, regarding wearing of protective headgear (helmet) by pillion riders on two wheelers;

(b) whether there has been a spurt in head injuries to women pillion riders and road deaths caused due to non- wearing of helmet especially in the capital during the last three years and the current year;

(c) if so, the details thereof and the total number of deaths in road accidents where two-wheelers were primarily responsible for the accident, State/UT-wise;

(d) whether the Government has decided to make helmet wearing compulsory for women pillion riders; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and the action taken or proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard?

THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI OSCAR FERNANDES)

(a) to (e) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.161 FOR ANSWER ON 19TH AUGUST, 2013 ASKED BY SHRIMATI MANEKA SANJAY GANDHI REGARDING PROTECTIVE HEADGEAR FOR MOTOR CYCLE RIDERS

(a) A copy of Section 129 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 on wearing of protective headgear (helmet) by persons driving or riding on motor-cycle is annexed as Annexure-I.

(b) & (c) Ministry of Road Transport & Highways collects road accident data in a 19 point format developed as per the Asia Pacific Road Accident Database (APRAD) project of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia Pacific (UNESCAP). Under this format, data on road deaths caused because of head injuries to women pillion rider not wearing helmet is not captured. A tabular statement indicating State/UT-wise number of persons killed in road accidents, where two-wheelers were primarily responsible, is at Annexure-II.

(d) & (e) Section 129 does not exempt women pillion drivers from wearing helmet. However, second proviso to Section 129 provides that the State Government may, by such rules, provide for such exceptions as it may think fit.