In a bid to improve road safety and reduce fatalities in two-wheeler accidents, Bapatla district police on Monday launched the “No Helmet, No Fuel” campaign on a pilot basis in Bapatla Town, Bapatla Rural, Vedullapalli and Karlapalem police station limits.

Announcing the initiative, Bapatla district Superintendent of Police B. Umamaheswara said wearing a helmet should be viewed as a responsibility rather than a burden. He noted that a large number of road accident deaths involved riders who were not wearing helmets.

Under the programme, police personnel have been deployed at petrol bunks to create awareness among motorists about the importance of helmet use and the protection it offers during accidents. The initiative aims to encourage riders to adopt helmet-wearing as a habit by linking fuel purchases with compliance.

The Superintendent of Police said that the district police had already launched the “Shiroraksha–Prana Raksha” road safety campaign on April 1, and have conducted awareness rallies and programmes across the Bapatla, Chirala and Repalle subdivisions. While the campaign has improved helmet usage, some riders continued to travel without protective gear.

Mr. Umamaheswar urged motorists to wear helmets to safeguard their own lives and the well-being of their families and not for merely avoiding penalties. The special drive will continue across the district headquarters and pilot locations.