It might seem dirty, but it’s business. The City Traffic Police Lahore is apparently hitting two birds with one stone – making money and saving lives simultaneously. The department has generated more than Rs52 million in just two days, and expects hundreds of millions more in the days ahead, which is something not even powerful rackets can boast. However, not a single rupee of this revenue is ill-gotten, as the amount is being collected under the single head of ‘helmet challan’. Although apparently harsh, this rare step will surely go down in history as a hallmark achievement of the department, as the crackdown on motorcyclists without safety helmets is aimed at protecting, not punishing, Lahoris.

For years, authorities have launched extensive awareness campaigns and crackdowns on helmetless bikers, keeping in view the soaring number of deaths in road accidents involving motorcycles. The situation got so bad that the Lahore High Court had to intervene in 2023, issuing directives to increase the fine to Rs2,000 for four types of violations, including driving without a helmet. Even the revised fines failed to serve as a deterrent, mainly because violators would plead either for complete pardon or for a relatively low penalty under a different head.

Resultantly, the traffic authorities got lenient over time, hoping the rod would not have to serve as logic. It took them time to realize they were wrong to use just soft words to change a practice that had turned into a cultural habit. However, now the traffic authorities in Lahore have decided to do exactly what they are supposed to do.

Giving a deadline of July 21, and vowing zero-tolerance for helmetless driving, the Lahore chief traffic officer has ordered a massive crackdown on violators. The directives have translated into more than 26,000 tickets issued in the two days leading up to the deadline. Bikers were flagged down, told to pull over, and sometimes literally caught at traffic signals for violating the helmet rule.

For the motorcyclists, it is understandable that a two-wheeler is a lifeline for millions in the city, but riding without a helmet is not so different from playing Russian roulette. Moreover, it hurts to see that most bikers treat helmets like an optional accessory, which is unjustifiable. It is also disappointing how they consider this protective gear a burden in the heat and nuisance that ruins the hairstyle, which forces them to sling it on the elbow or place it on the bike’s fuel tank. The ‘concerns’ are somewhat genuine, but so is the risk. When repeating this mistake, they must keep in mind the countless deaths that could have been avoided with a simple headgear and a buckle of the chinstrap.

It is good to see that the latest campaign is working, with a compliance rate of 90 percent. Now the authorities must ensure that this trajectory continues so that thousands of lives that are usually lost every year can be saved. At the same time, they must keep in mind that the drive’s aim is to protect citizens, not fill coffers

On the other hand, with traffic wardens stationed on every major road, the tone of the enforcement drive might seem a bit harsh, but it is necessary to lower – if not eliminate completely – the chances of commuters losing their heads, literally. That makes this crackdown a welcome step, aimed not at fleecing the public but actually at saving their lives. Unfortunately, officers have faced backlash from the public and will likely continue to do so, but they will have to rattle a few cages in their quest for bringing about a positive change in public behavior.

That being said, it is good to see that the latest campaign is working, with a compliance rate of 90 percent. Now the authorities must ensure that this trajectory continues so that thousands of lives that are usually lost every year can be saved. At the same time, they must keep in mind that the drive’s aim is to protect citizens, not fill coffers.

Since it is not a money-making scheme, it should not start looking like one. The public must not be given the impression that traffic wardens are bounty hunters or goons. That would be counterproductive. The line between accountability and authoritarianism must remain intact and clearly visible. The authorities can expect compliance and cooperation as long as the citizens feel respected. After all, the field officers are there to save heads, not lose their own in the process.