A post has been going viral on social media claiming that it is not mandatory to wear a helmet when riding a two-wheeler within a 15 km radius of the Municipal Corporation of a city/town. Hence the court has voted against the checking of helmets by traffic police.
The post reads:
Breaking News
* Helmet * * free *
Now the court has rejected the helmet checking that was going on in all the states.
According to Sagarkumar Jain’s petition, the use of helmet inside the rays of the municipal corporation will not be compulsory for the driver. The road which has got the status of the state road or highway, it will be mandatory to wear helmet there after that if any traffic person or any policeman from you. Ask why not wearing a helmet so you can tell him I
Municipal Corporation Municipal Corporation Municipal Panchayat Samiti is in the limits of the city. You all will be happy to know this. Helmet needed after 15 km radius from town
* Share this message as much as possible so that people also know…!!*
More such posts can be seen here and here.
ALSO READ: Picture of 2015 Tianjin explosion being shared as recent…
FACT CHECK
NewsMobile fact-checked the above news and found it to be fake.
When we searched Twitter for such claims by typing the keywords “Helmet Free” in Hindi, we came across a Tweet on August 7, 2020, by PIB Fact Check that confirmed these claims as fake.
दावा : व्हाट्सप्प पर वायरल एक मैसेज में यह दावा किया जा रहा है की शहर से 15 किलोमीटर के दायरे के अंदर वाहन चालकों को अब हेलमेट पहनना अनिवार्य नहीं है#PIBFactCheck : यह दावा फर्जी है! वाहन चालकों को अभी भी हेलमेट पहनना अनिवार्य है l pic.twitter.com/rFQBnV7zDM
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) August 7, 2020
The tweet clearly states that the claims are false and riders are still needed to wear helmets.
We further checked India’s Motor Vehicles Act for its guideline on helmets. On legistlative.gov.in, which is the Govt of India’s Ministry of Law and Justice website, we found a copy of the entire act.
The guidelines clearly mention: Every person driving or riding (otherwise than in a sidecar, on a motorcycle of any class or description) shall, while in a public place, wear protective headgear conforming to the standards of Bureau of Indian Standards. Explanation—” Protective headgear” means a helmet
Hence, we can conclude that the claims are false, and anyone riding or driving a two-wheeler in any public place must wear a helmet.
If you want to fact-check any story, WhatsApp it now on +91 88268 00707
