Date:12/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/12/stories/2009011251360300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore

Police take out helmet awareness rally

Staff Reporter

Coimbatore: City Police Commissioner K.C. Mahali on Sunday flagged off an awareness rally by police personnel.

A total of 200 police constables with helmets went around the city on 100 motorcycles to propagate the need for two-wheeler riders wear helmets.

Mr. Mahali said that in 43 per cent of the fatal accidents motorcyclists were the victims and deaths due to head injuries could be prevented by wearing helmets.

He said wearing helmets was for the sake of protecting one’s own life and not for the sake of complying with a rule. Police enforce road rules not by choice but out of compulsion to ensure road discipline.

Police believe in practising what they preach, hence the decision to make policemen first wear helmets and make people emulate the same, he said.

Beginning January 1, the police had begun enforcing the compulsory helmet rule.

The rally started off from City Police Commissioner’s office and wound its way through JM Bakery Junction, Avanashi Road flyover, Mill Road, Gandhipark roundabout, DB Road, R.S. Puram, Cowley Brown Road Junction, new North Coimbatore flyover, Power House Junction, 100 Feet Road, Sathyamangalam Road junction, Gandhipuram, Dr. Nanjappa Road, Avanashi Road up to SITRA and took a U turn and came up to Hope College bridge and then proceeded on Kamarajar Road in Singanallur, reached Tiruchi Road and via CMC Hospital, Lanka Corner and Railway Station area reached the City Police office.