Driving car without helmet, UP man slapped with ₹1,000 fine by Noida Police

A Noida man was slapped with ₹1,000 traffic fine for driving his car without wearing a helmet. The bizarre incident has caught limelight after the person, named Tushar Saxena, approached Noida Police to review the traffic challan issued to him in November last year. A journalist by profession, Saxena has urged Noida Police to revoke the traffic challan after the police warned him of legal consequences if he failed to pay the fine.

Tushar Saxena was fined on November 9 morning in Noida, part of Delhi-NCR, for driving his Hyundai Grand i10 Nios hatchback without wearing a helmet. Besides challenging the traffic challan, Saxena also disputed Noida Police's report that he was driving in the area on the recorded date and time. According to him, he has never driven his car in the Delhi-NCR region. Saxena lives in Rampur district in Uttar Pradesh, which is around 190 kms from Noida. His i10 hatchback also bears the registration number which belongs to the region.

Driving without helmet: What traffic rulebook says

Saxena has also contested the charge of driving without helmet. According to the Motor Vehicles Act, which elaborates various traffic violations and corresponding fines and punishments, wearing helmet is compulsory for two-wheeler riders as a safety measure. It attracts a fine of ₹1,000 if someone does not comply with it. However, the traffic rules do not mandate car owners to wear helmet while driving, let alone it being a punishable offence that attracts fine.

Saxena had initially ignored the challan he received last year. However, he was forced to take measures after the challan was followed up with text messages and emails where Noida Police has asked him to pay the fine amount or appear in court to absolve himself of the traffic violation. Noida Police has not responded to Saxena's charge that the traffic challan is faulty in nature. He has also asked Noida Police to offer in writing if any such traffic rule exists.

Driving without helmet fines: Not a one-off mistake

This is not the first time a vehicle owner has been fined for not wearing helmet while driving a car. Previously, a man from Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, was fined ₹1,000 for not wearing helmet while driving an Audi luxury car. Similarly, a man launched a unique protest in Bharatpur, Rajasthan after he was fined for not wearing a helmet while driving a Maruti Omni minivan back in 2017.

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