MADURAI: Deaths linked to riding without helmets doubled to 64 in Madurai district during January–June, up from 32 in the corresponding period last year, according to official data, raising questions about the effectiveness of enforcement.
The commissionerate set a target of reducing accidents by 15% this year and conducted a week-long special drive, booking 3,300 cases against motorcycle riders and pillion riders for not wearing helmets. A 2024 civic survey found that only 242 of 2,034 adult two-wheeler users observed in Madurai wore helmets. On March 22, two motorcyclists who were not wearing helmets died when their speeding bikes collided head-on outside Nirmala Girls Higher Secondary School near Teppakulam. Statewide data showed that driving licences suspended for six major offences fell 14% during the first half of 2026, when police personnel were deployed for election duty.
“Police checks were often held for namesake during the first few days of every month to show enforcement records to senior officers, while violations went unchecked for the rest of the month,” he said. Many riders put on helmets when they spot us and remove them immediately after crossing the checkpoint,” the officer said. Activist S Kamal said parents routinely dropped off or picked up children without helmets, sometimes carrying three people on a motorcycle, with little visible policing.
The rise contrasts with Madurai city police’s claims of tighter checks and safer roads. Resident-activist G Hari Shankar alleged that helmet checks were largely conducted to meet monthly targets. A senior traffic police officer rejected the criticism, blaming riders for ignoring the law. “We conduct special drives and regular awareness programmes, but cannot deploy police at every street corner. School zones have also emerged as hotspots for helmet violations. He questioned the example set by parents who appeared to disregard traffic rules in front of their children. Helmet use among children was negligible. The accident occurred shortly after midnight, not during school hours, but highlighted the risks on roads near educational institutions. Police have also raised concerns about riders using cheap, substandard helmets merely to avoid fines. Officials have called for stronger action against traders selling helmets with fake or absent ISI certification. The Bureau of Indian Standards, which regulates mandatory helmet certification, can seize non-compliant helmets and prosecute sellers.