“Now, not just the person riding a motorcycle will wear a helmet but the person sitting behind him will also wear the helmet,” Lahore Traffic Police DIG Muhammad Athar Waheed said at a ceremony on Wednesday.

“This is my new direction for you and the traffic police. The purpose is to ensure safety and save lives so the life of the person sitting behind you is also vulnerable like you,” he said.

He warned that violators would be arrested. Moreover, the traffic police have seat belts in vehicles.

Officials noted that out of the eight million registered vehicles in the city, 53% are motorcycles and wearing helmets has resulted in a 26% reduction in the death rate from motorcycle accidents.

Police have warned that those who do not comply with the helmet mandate would be fined while female riders have been granted a one-week grace period to adhere to the new regulation.