Deputy Commissioner K. Nagendra Prasad on Thursday said that wearing helmets will be made mandatory for all two-wheeler riders across Ballari district on June 1 as part of efforts to improve road safety and save lives.

He was speaking after inaugurating a helmet awareness campaign, helmet distribution drive and bike rally organised by the Ballari Traffic Police on the District Police Office premises in the city.

Mr. Nagendra Prasad said that laws are framed for the protection and welfare of the public and they should be followed in the right spirit.

Seeking exemption from wearing helmets is equivalent to saying that people’s lives need not be protected, he observed.

He said that Ballari district has already demonstrated its commitment and discipline by securing the top position in the State in initiatives such as Sakala services and Census-related work and urged citizens to similarly uphold road safety rules.

Superintendent of Police Suman D. Pennekar said that statistics related to motorcycle accidents in the district over the last three years are alarming and stressed the need for compulsory helmet use.

According to official data, 462 people lost their lives in bike accidents in Ballari district between 2023 and April 2026.

On average, one death due to a bike accident occurs every two days in the district, amounting to more than 150 deaths annually, he said.

Ms. Pennekar said that traffic rules should not be followed merely out of fear of penalties or police action. “If the head is protected, the body remains safe,” she said and added that reasons such as extreme heat cannot justify avoiding wearing helmets.

Member-Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority and Senior Civil Judge Rajesh N. Hosamane said that it is unfortunate that people often took greater care in protecting expensive mobile phones than safeguarding their own lives.

“We use screen guards to protect our mobile phones from damage but neglect wearing helmets to protect our brains and lives which are far more valuable,” he said.

Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Mohammed Haris Sumair also appealed to the public not to avoid wearing helmets citing discomfort or heat saying life protection is more important than temporary inconvenience.

Earlier, the dignitaries unveiled posters carrying the message “Wear Helmet – Save Life”.

About 100 helmets were distributed to pourakarmikas and members of the public.

An awareness bike rally was also organised through the major roads in the city.

Mr. Nagendra Prasad himself rode a motorcycle to flag off the rally and spread awareness on helmet use.

Additional Superintendent of Police Ravikumar, DAR Deputy Superintendent of Police Tippeswamy, Ballari City Deputy Superintendent of Police Govindaraju, Traffic Police Inspector Rudrappa, District Bar Association president P. Ramabrahmam and other officials were present.