Citizen Sentinel: App that allows citizens to report helmetless riding in Odisha

Odisha: To stop people from riding motorcycles without wearing helmets in Odisha, the State Transport Authority has made a new app called “Citizen Sentinel,” which allows citizens to report incidents of helmetless riding.

With this app, people can take pictures and videos of those who aren’t wearing helmets while riding and upload them to the app.

Once a report is filed through the app, the authorities will verify it, and if the reports are valid, an e-challan will be issued to the concerned vehicle owner.

Importantly, the identities of those reporting such violations will be kept confidential.

This new move aims to reduce the number of people who are riding two-wheelers without helmets.

This app was created by a government organisation called the National Information Centre (NIC).

In 2022, about 34% of people who died in accidents on the roads were riding vehicles without helmets. This means that almost 1,695 people lost their lives and 2,615 were hurt because they didn’t wear helmets while riding.

In many rural and highway areas, it is common to see riders without helmets, posing significant safety risks. To address this issue, authorities have increased helmet checks in these regions. These efforts are aimed at encouraging compliance with traffic rules and promoting safer driving practices.