Mumbai Schools Educate Kids On Road Safety, Distribute Free Helmets

In a bid to inform and educate children about the importance of head safety gear during riding or accompanying pillion riders, free helmets were distributed to schoolkids in Mumbai.

Around 1,070 free helmets were distributed to school children of Blossoms Sunderbai Thackersey English High School, New Marine Lines on Saturday, June 18, by Western India Automobile Association (WIAA).

Besides, a total of 50 helmets were distributed on Saturday June 18, on behalf of Commissioner Ashwini Patil, Kandivali Traffic Police in association with Brijal Dattani, Trustee of KES College Kandivali West and Ganesh Pawar of Sai Ketan Charitable Trust, Kandivali Transport Department at Our Lady School Poisar.

The program was called "Helmet Handover Ceremony - Safety Delivered Program" and was supported by AIP Foundation and UPS Foundation in association with the Transport Department and Traffic Department.

During Saturday’s program, the children were given helmets and proper demonstrations were conducted on wearing a helmet correctly as per their helmet size.

According to reports, Kandivali Traffic Police Inspector Suresh Rokade said that till now action has been taken against more than 1500 people who do not follow this rule in their area. Moreover, action has been taken against 620 vehicles in case of wrong side driving and more than 600 vehicles under Operation Khatara.

Experts stated that wearing a quality helmet can reduce the risk of death by 42 per cent and the risk of serious brain injury by 69 per cent. This vision has provided life-saving services to educate, empower, improve and sustain road safety among communities in Mumbai.

If reports are to be believed this program was supposed to be conducted in 2020, but due to the pandemic, the helmet advocacy project got delayed.

For those unversed, the Mumbai Traffic Police initiated their crackdown on helmetless pillion riders starting 9 June, 15 days after the notification was issued making it compulsory for pillion riders to wear helmets. More than 6,000 offenders were penalised on the first day of the drive, and the action has continued since then.