Good News For Riders: Gadkari Urges Two-Wheeler Makers To Offer Discounted Helmets For Buyers

Nitin Gadkari: Gadkari highlighted that 50,029 people lost their lives in 2022 because they were not wearing helmets during accidents.

Nitin Gadkari Urges Two-Wheeler Makers To Offer Discounted Helmets: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday urged two-wheeler manufacturers to provide helmets to buyers at a discounted or reasonable price, emphasizing that many road accident fatalities occur due to the lack of helmet use. Speaking at an event in Delhi, Gadkari highlighted that 50,029 people lost their lives in 2022 because they were not wearing helmets during accidents.

"I am thinking of requesting two-wheeler manufacturers... If they can give some reasonable discount on helmets to the purchaser of the vehicle then we can save the life of the people," he said. The road transport and highways minister also stressed on the need to plan the parking arrangement for school buses. 

Noting that the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 has enforced hefty penalties on traffic offenses, he said, "But actually, effective enforcement is also a big challenge." Gadkari said his ambition is to start driving school in every taluka of the country.

According to a new report titled "National Strategy for Prevention of Unintentional Injury", compiled by the Ministry of Health, road crashes cause the most deaths due to unintentional injuries in India, accounting for more than 43 per cent of such fatalities, with overspeeding being the leading reason.

"There were 4,30,504 deaths from unintentional injuries and 1,70,924 deaths due to intentional injuries in India in 2022. From 2016 to 2022, there has been a marginal increase in deaths due to unintentional and intentional injuries. Road traffic crashes are the highest cause of unintentional injuries (43.7 per cent)," the report had said.

Why Helmets Are Crucial For Two-Wheeler Users?
Helmets provide essential protection to the heads of two-wheeler users, reducing the risk of fatal injuries in accidents. Wearing helmets is legally required to ensure safety as they significantly lower the chances of death in road accidents.