The Indian Centre has made it clear that it is not considerate to allow a third person to travel on a two-wheeler vehicle. Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has responded to a plea from Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP Elamaram Kareem, who requested that children up to the age of ten be allowed to ride as a third person on two-wheelers whilst wearing helmets. Gadkari pointed out that motorcycles and scooters are universally designed to carry only two people and allowing more than one person would be prohibited under the law.
In his letter dated May 31, Gadkari said, under the Central Motor Vehicles Act 1988, no driver of a two-wheeler can carry more than one person. Therefore, from the safety angle of riders, it would not be prudent to allow more than one person in addition to the driver to be carried thereon.
The request comes as the ruling LDF government in Kerala considers amending the Motor Vehicles Act to allow one child to travel with parents on a two-wheeler, following the launch of the government’s Safe Kerala project, under which 726 artificial cameras have been put in place across the state to identify traffic violations automatically.
Kareem had stated in his letter to Gadkari that two-wheelers are extensively used by a long section of the Indian populace who depend on them for day-to-day transportation needs. He also noted that not everyone can afford a car.
It is important to note that motorcycles and scooters used for day-to-day transportation have been designed to only carry a maximum of two people, and riders’ safety is of utmost importance.
