Here's What Chhattisgarh Couple Did To Promote Traffic Safety During Wedding

In a bid to promote traffic safety, Birendra Sahu and Jyoti Sahu from Rajnandgaon exchanged helmets during their marriage ceremony on Sunday.

Rajnandgaon: Breaking the stereotypical norms of traditional Hindu marriage, a couple here on Sunday, November 24, exchanged vows with helmets, to make people aware of traffic rules.

In a unique act, Birendra Sahu from Jarwahi who tied the knot with Jyoti Sahu from Kariyatola, first exchanged rings and then helmets, reiterating that wearing a helmet is mandatory while riding any two-wheeler, as per law.

Sahu's father, Panchram Sahu was the Gram Panchayat Secretary. In January 2022, he was riding back home from work sans a helmet when his two-wheeler crashed into a vehicle, claiming his life. This personal loss impacted Birendra deeply and he decided to make bike riders aware of the helmet's significance in their lives.

Birendra requested the youths present in his wedding ceremony to maintain this practice of wearing helmets to avoid accidents. "My father had no helmet on and suffered deep head injuries after meeting with the accident that took his life," Birendra said, urging everyone to always ride their bikes with helmets on.

Locals in the district came to know about this quirky move to promote road safety and praised the couple by blessing them abundantly.

Law: Section 129(b) of the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988 states both the driver and the pillion rider must tie the helmet securely using straps. This rule promises to give a sense of safety in a road incident, as the helmet will stay on the head.

Penalties: If a driver or pillion rider doesn't follow this rule, they can be fined ₹1,000 and the driver's license may be suspended for three months.