ISLAMABAD: In an effort to increase commuter safety in the nation’s capital, officials have mandated that motorcycle riders and pillion passengers wear helmets.
“The decision will be implemented after a two-week awareness campaign [after which] a fine will be imposed on both riders and pillion passengers for not wearing helmets,” Zeeshan Haider, the Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) of Islamabad, stated yesterday.
The official said that the change will result in a 50% higher accident survival rate, with the rule being applied equally to male and female motorcycle riders.
In a nation where more than 40% of the population lives below the World Bank’s recently revised worldwide poverty line, motorcycles are a major source of economical transportation.
