4K+ challans issued daily this year for helmet-less riding: Data

Helmet-less riding in Delhi is rising, with over 4,000 daily penalties this year, a 25% increase from 2025, highlighting ongoing safety concerns.

New Delhi: Helmet-less riding continues to surge in the Capital, with over 4,000 two-wheelers penalised daily for violations this year compared to 3,216 in 2025, according to data issued by the Delhi Traffic Police.

Data shows till April 15 this year, at least 188 fatal road accidents involving the deaths of riders or pillion riders have been reported (HT Archive)

The data shows that till April 15 this year, at least 188 fatal road accidents involving the deaths of riders or pillion riders have been reported, while 62 similar vehicles were identified as offenders

According to the data accessed by HT, traffic police issued 4,042 average daily challans for helmet-less driving until April 15. This represents nearly a 25% increase in daily challans for violations this year compared to 2025, when the traffic police issued an average of 3,216 challans daily.

Notably, average daily helmet-less challans in Delhi this year have witnessed a 175% surge in comparison to the 1,470 challans issued daily in 2022.

The data highlights that 424,404 challans for helmet-less riding have been issued this year till April 15, translating into a daily average of 4,042 violations. In 2022, the number stood at 536,548, it surged to 683,627 in 2023 and then to 774,145 in 2024. A significant surge in challans against helmet-less riding was witnessed in 2025, when traffic police penalised 1,173,797 two-wheelers.

Senior traffic police officers said that helmet use has remained one of the most ignored traffic norms despite constant awareness drives and stricter enforcement and penalties.

Under Section 194D of the Motor Vehicle (MV) Act, a fine of ₹1,000 is issued against a two-wheelerif the rider or the pillion rider or both are caught riding without helmets. The vehicle owner is penalised a ₹1,000 fine for both first and subsequent offences.

A senior traffic police officer, requesting anonymity, said: “Despite stricter penalties (from ₹100 to ₹1,000 in 2019), riding without a helmet remains one of the most violated traffic rules in Delhi. During the awareness drives, we continue to sensitise riders about the importance of helmets.”

Earlier, traffic personnel only issued on-the-spot challans for riding without helmets, but now they use the Violation on Camera Application (VoCA) on their mobile phones to photograph and videograph the violation, automatically log locations, and directly submit digital reports for e-challan issuance, another traffic officer said.

“We are also installing high-resolution cameras to simultaneously detect multiple violations, such as riding without a helmet, driving without a seatbelt (for vehicles), and using a mobile phone. This will lead to a further surge in e-challans. Also, under our Prahari Scheme, citizens report traffic violations directly to the traffic police department,” the second officer said.

Retired IPS officer Muktesh Chander, who served as the chief of the Delhi Traffic Police, pointed out that the challan numbers reflected a mix of factors: short-distance travel complacency, discomfort during summer months, and a tendency among pillion riders—especially in urban stretches—to skip helmets altogether.

“It’s a fact that a majority of people wear helmets not because they care for their safety but because they are afraid of traffic challans. Lack of awareness is the prime reason for it. Apart from intensifying road safety awareness programmes, the traffic police should also identify areas in the city where such violations are rampant and accordingly deploy traffic personnel,” added Chander.