Koraput: The district police formed four special traffic enforcement squads on Wednesday to ensure use of helmets by motorcyclists.

The police said the squads would be deployed on the national highways between Koraput-Jeypore, Koraput-Sunabeda, Jeypore-Borigumma and Borigumma-Kotpad in the district.

"The squads, with six police personnel each, will be deployed for eight hours on the highways during the day and enforce the use of helmets," said Koraput superintendent of police Kanwar Vishal Singh.

Statistics of accident deaths available with the police suggest that there were 71 fatalities recorded between January and March, while 46 motorcyclists died between April and June.

"Wearing helmets is the most effective safety mechanism to avoid accident deaths. But owing to lack of awareness about its benefits, and riders prefer to pay fines and carrying on" Singh said.

"We collected Rs 6 lakh from offenders for not wearing helmets between January and March. It rose to Rs 17 lakh between April and June," the district police superintendent said.

He said wearing helmets could reduce chances of serious head injuries by 80 per cent and deaths by nearly 50 per cent.

The cops in the district have also decided to create awareness among people about wearing helmets at all panchayats and police stations have been urged to orgainise the Amo Police meeting at panchayat headquarters once a month.

"During the meetings, we will sensitise the public on wearing helmets," Singh said.

"In urban areas, traffic awareness programmes will be organised at ward level."

First offenders who violate the helmet rule will be fined Rs 100, while second offences would incur a fine of Rs 300. A third violation would involve suspension of driving license with fines according to existing rules under the Motor Vehicles Act.