Two-wheeler makers should provide helmets to vehicle buyers at a discount: Nitin Gadkari

Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said two-wheeler manufacturers should provide helmet to the purchaser of the vehicle at a discount or reasonable rate as many people die in road accidents just for not wearing helmets. Addressing an event here, Gadkari said 50,029 people lost their lives in accidents in the country in 2022 when they were not wearing helmets.

"I am thinking of requesting two-wheeler manufacturers... If they can give some reasonable discount on helmets to the purchaser of the vehicle then we can save the life of the people," he said.

The road transport and highways minister also stressed on the need to plan the parking arrangement for school buses.

Noting that the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 has enforced hefty penalties on traffic offences, he said, "But actually, effective enforcement is also a big challenge." Gadkari said his ambition is to start driving school in every taluka of the country.

According to a new report titled "National Strategy for Prevention of Unintentional Injury", compiled by the Ministry of Health, road crashes cause the most deaths due to unintentional injuries in India, accounting for more than 43 per cent of such fatalities, with overspeeding being the leading reason.

"There were 4,30,504 deaths from unintentional injuries and 1,70,924 deaths due to intentional injuries in India in 2022. From 2016 to 2022, there has been a marginal increase in deaths due to unintentional and intentional injuries. Road traffic crashes are the highest cause of unintentional injuries (43.7 per cent)," the report had said.