Helmet mandatory for pillion riders

Kochi: The High Court Wednesday stayed a state government order granting exemption to pillion riders of two-wheelers from wearing helmets.

In an interim order, the High Court made helmet mandatory for two-wheeler riders.

Justice V Chidambaresh issued the interim order on a petition filed by one T U Raveendran challenging the 2003 G.O. Which had relaxed the helmet rule.

Raveendran sought the Court's intervention to save the lives of pillion riders who met with accidents while riding on two wheelers.

The Court observed that pillion riders are prime victims of two-wheeler accidents and made helmets mandatory for them.

Earlier, the High Court's full bench had made it mandatory to wear helmet for two-wheeler riders.

However, in 2003, the government had granted exemption to pillion riders from wearing helmet.