Bengaluru: Pillion riders be prepared to face the music if you break the rules as the City traffic police is all set to crack the whip against those caught without wearing a helmet from today, January 20.

Joint teams of the Transport department and the traffic police department have been formed to check violations, it has been reported.

Section 129 of the Motor Vehicle Act-1988 empowers the police to book riders for helmet-less riding. The police will impose a penalty of Rs 100 for the first offence, Rs 300 for the second and will recommend suspension of driving licence for the third offence.?If a pillion rider fails to wear helmet, the two-wheeler rider will be penalised for the violation, police sources have informed.

Additional Commissioner of Police(Traffic) MA Saleem told media sources that the enforcement will begin on Wednesday and the police will act against violators.

The police decided to enforce the rule from January 20 after conducting campaigns for about two weeks to create awareness about the Supreme Court order and the importance of both the rider and the pillion wearing helmets. The rule also applies to children aged 12 years and above.

?The State government introduced the rule after the Supreme Court Committee of Road Safety directed six states, including Karnataka, in August last year to make helmets mandatory for pillion riders. Helmet for pillion riders is mandatory in Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Kerala.