Chennai: Selfie contests, variable message boards, pamphlet distribution, street plays and flexi boards are some initiatives and mediums through which the police and transport department are trying to create awareness on the use of helmets after the Madras high court made it compulsory from Wednesday onwards.
With the court asking government to create awareness among people about the importance of helmets, some district officials have adopted eye-catching campaigns while in a city like Chennai, cops focused on digital message boards and distribution of handbills.
City police decided to flash only helmet related messages on variable digital message boards installed in various parts of the city, Dharmapuri police are promoting the use of helmets by organising a selfie contest for two wheeler riders. In Madurai, RTO officials are using persons dressed like Lord Yama, to enact one act street dramas at important junctions to drive home the point.
Campaign lays stress on importance of helmets
Two-wheeler accidents contribute to more than 30 per cent of the total number of accidents in the city as well as throughout the state. With regard to fatal cases also, the proportion of accidents involving two-wheelers is very high when compared to the total number of accidents.
Bearing this in mind, the United India Insurance Co Ltd kickstarted on Tuesday its campaign of generating awareness among people regarding the importance of wearing helmets.The campaign was flagged off from the Tamil Nadu State Legal Services Authority building by Hon’ble Justice Satish K. Agnihotri of Madras high court. Two mobile vans began their journey to spread the importance of wearing helmets.
“Nearly 17 deaths occur everyday in our state because people do not wear helmets. This situation has to change. Hence we started this campaign to make people realize the seriousness of the issue. People know about it, yet don’t care about it,” said K. B. Vijay Srinivas, deputy general manager, United India Insurance Co Ltd.”
