RTA officials counselling the two-wheeler riders who were caught riding without helmets, in Visakhapatnam.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The Regional Transport Authority (RTA) officials and the city police have intensified checks on two-wheeler riders driving without helmets. The judiciary has also directed the RTA officials to ensure strict implementation of the Motor Vehicle Act as per the Supreme Court guidelines.

The Motor Vehicle Inspectors (MVIs) on the directions of Deputy Transport Commissioner R. Ch. Srinivas conducted raids on the National Highway at NAD junction and Maddilapalem on Thursday.

According to the Motor Vehicle Act 1988, driver of a two-wheeler and pillion rider not wearing helmets will be charged under Section 194 D of M.V. Act and their driving licence will be suspended for three months.

If a person whose driving licence has been suspended for not wearing a helmet is caught driving the vehicle again, such vehicle will be seized under Section 207 of the M.V. Act and appropriate action will be taken against the owner of the vehicle and the driver as well.

Principal District and Sessions Judge Alapati Giridhar has directed the RTA officials to ensure strict implementation of the guidelines of the Supreme Court’s Road Safety Committee.

In the last 10 days, 55 repeat offence cases have been registered by the Transport Department officials.

Such inspections will continue and further action will be taken for subsequent offences based on the offender’s suspension period record, says Motor Vehicle Inspector K. Butchi Raju.

The transport and police departments have appealed to the people to abide by the rules to avoid the circumstances in which driving licences can be suspended.