The number of women two-wheeler drivers becoming victims to road accidents in the city has been on the increase in the last three years. Consider this: in the year 2012, 26 women were killed in accidents out of which only one was a two-wheeler driver. In 2013, out of a total of 18 women who died, three were women drivers, and in 2014, nine out of 26 women killed in accidents were riding two-wheelers. The police personnel with the Road Accident Analysis cell say that all these women were not wearing helmets and had suffered head injuries. Apart from this, in 2012, four women pillion riders were killed. The number increased to five in 2013 and nine in 2014. [related-post] Unlike the Delhi government, the Chandigarh Administration has refrained from issuing a notification to make helmets compulsory for women due to the fear of hurting Sikh religious sentiments. To avoid such a situation, the Delhi government has made it mandatory for Sikh women to carry an identity card to exempt them from wearing helmets. In 2000, when the administration tried to make helmets compulsory for women, several Sikh religious organisations staged protests. “The Punjab and Haryana High Court had made it compulsory for women (order issued on July 9, 1998). However, the order was quashed by the Supreme Court,” said Senior Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Maneesh Chaudhry. The SSP said that the police and administration cannot make helmets compulsory for women in view of the orders by the apex court. “If the administration does so, they will be violating the SC order,” he said. Gurvinder Kaur, a woman traffic marshal, who drives a two-wheeler, wears a helmet despite being a Sikh. She said, “In my opinion, women must wear helmets as no religion is above life or a person. Women must realise that they have to save their lives first.” On this, the Senior Superintendent of Police hastened to add, “Self-regulation is needed amongst women. Your life is in your hands. We are holding awareness drives for women to wear helmets and also roped in some celebrities for spreading the word.” He added, “We understand that Sikh women have religious obligations and cannot wear helmets. However, other women can wear helmets and their families can also ask them to wear helmets.”
