Around 100 two-wheeler users a day die for want of a helmet

About 100 two-wheeler users per day die in a road accident in India because they did not wear a helmet.

Analysing statistics provided by the Road Transport and Highways Ministry, India Today's Data Intelligence Unit found that of all the road accidents that took place in 2017, two-wheelers were the worst hit.

In 2017, 48,746 two-wheeler users died in road mishaps. 73.8% or around 35,975 of them did not wear a helmet. The data also show that the number of two-wheeler users who died in road accidents was 33% of the total number of deaths in road accidents. Two-wheeler users were followed by car/jeep/taxi users whose death toll was 26,869.

Truck and lorry users followed with a death toll of 17,158. The number of bus users who died in road accidents was 9,069 and the number of auto rickshaw users was 7,167. The death toll includes both drivers and passengers. Of the total 35,975 non-helmet two-wheeler users, 58% were drivers while 42% were pillion riders.

Of the 35,975 non-helmet two-wheeler fatalities, half were from only four states. The highest death tolls were in Tamil Nadu (6,105); Uttar Pradesh (4,406); Maharashtra (4,369), followed by Madhya Pradesh (3,183).

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said that heavier fines under the amended Motor Vehicles Act, which took effect on 1 September, were introduced to reduce road deaths and not for revenue generation.

Source: Asia Insurance Review