The Cubbon Park traffic police have decided to question the owners of 20 cars in connection with an accident in which Rashmi, a resident of Bhoopasandra, sustained severe head injuries at Basaveshwara Circle on Monday.
In two-wheeler accidents, it’s not only the driver who’s injured. “An equal number of pillion riders get injured in road accidents.
In fact, they are far more vulnerable than the drivers because they have no control over the vehicle and they don’t wear any head protection,” said M A Saleem, DIG and director, Security & Vigilance, KSRTC. Mr Saleem, also former DCP (Traffic), said helmets should be made compulsory for pillion riders as well. “In Kolkata, it’s mandatory for pillion riders to wear a helmet.
In Delhi too, helmet is a must for pillion riders. There’s however an exception for women,” he said.
According to Dr G Gururaj, Head of the Department of Epidemiology, Nimhans, Bangalore and a WHO consultant on road safety, over 60 per cent of 800-odd fatalities and 8,000-odd injuries in road accidents every year are traumatic brain injuries sustained by two-wheeler riders.
Neuro surgeons and orthopaedics in the City confirm they receive equal number of cases of pillion riders getting injured in road accidents. “It took us so much time to make helmets compulsory for two-wheeler drivers. Our next campaign should be to make it mandatory for pillion riders as well,” said Dr Sanjay Pai, Chief of Orthopaedics, Wockhardt Hospitals.“Helmets were compulsory for pillion riders in the original helmet rule. It was taken off due to some political decision,” said Nimhans director V Gururaj.
“Road accidents take place due to several reasons. Helmets can protect serious injuries to a large extent,” said DCP Traffic G A Bawa.
Condition stable
The condition of Rashmi, who met with an accident on Monday while riding pillion on her friend’s scooter, is stable.
“There’s slight bleeding in her ear and we may have to put her through another CT scan tomorrow,” said Dr Rama Reddy, medical superintendent, Mallige Medical Centre.
While Nishchala, the two-wheeler rider, sustained minor injuries, Rashmi sustained a serious head injury. Nishchala was wearing a helmet. The two-wheeler was knocked down by a speeding car.
Search on for car
The Cubbon Park traffic police have decided to question the owners of 20 cars in connection with an accident in which Rashmi, a resident of Bhoopasandra, sustained severe head injuries at Basaveshwara Circle on Monday.
“The only information we have is it was a blue car. Going by the assistant sub-inspector’s version who tried to chase the car, it could be a Santro or a Zen,” ACP (traffic central) K Ishwar Prasad said.
