Shriram Ilakkiya Kazhagam organises Thirukkural competition at Coimbatore

“If students commit to following traffic rules, there is a strong possibility of making Coimbatore an accident-free city,” stated L Raju, Assistant Commissioner of Police - Traffic Investigation, Coimbatore City. 
He urged students to use helmets while riding two-wheelers and to avoid driving in the wrong direction. Additionally, he emphasised that riding motorbikes before turning 18 and without a valid driving licence is against the law. Raju addressed the school and college students participating in Thirukkural competitions organised by Shriram Ilakkiya Kazhagam at Suburban Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Coimbatore. Since 1988, the company has been organising these competitions to promote Thirukkural values and Tamil literature among the younger generation in the state. A total of 333 students from Coimbatore, Sathiyamangalam, Avinashi, Tiruppur, and surrounding areas participated in Thirukkural speech, essay writing, and drawing competitions across various categories. 
Among them, 176 students took part in the drawing competition, while 110 and 47 students participated in the speech and essay writing competitions, respectively.
Addressing the students, Raju highlighted that underage students riding two-wheelers face hefty fines, and vehicle owners can face up to two years in prison. He also reminded everyone that wearing a helmet is mandatory for both drivers and pillion riders. On major roads like Cross Cut Road and 100 Ft Road, people often drive their vehicles in the wrong direction, leading to unavoidable accidents. He pointed out that people need to understand that they cannot claim insurance benefits for accidents caused by the violation of traffic rules. “Many people break traffic rules thinking they won’t get caught. However, when accidents occur due to this careless attitude and negligence, it impacts their entire family,” he observed.
Raju further added that for minor accidents, the punishment can be up to six months of imprisonment. However, for major accidents involving loss of life, violators can face up to two years in prison. Therefore, everyone should drive responsibly and contribute to making Coimbatore an accident-free city. The function was attended by senior officials from Shriram Chits India Private Limited, including P Madhavan.