They tried everything “ from awareness campaigns to
road safety drives, hiking the cost of fines to community
outreach programmes. Yet, nothing seems to help
change the unsafe behaviour of road users who continue
to flaunt traffic rules with impunity.
Whether it is over-speeding, drinking and driving, red-light
jumping, or the use of mobile phones while operating a vehicle,
the attitude of most road users is alarming and the resultant
increase in road accidents, not to mention fatalities, speaks
for itself. There is little or no regard for life and property and
certainly no respect for the rule of law.
Hence, in a bid to tighten the noose against traffic violators
and especially repeat offenders, a Supreme Court Committee
on Road Safety headed by Justice KS Radhakrishnan back in
2015 decreed that unless sterner action is taken, the number of
accidents and fatalities will continue to remain high.
As such, the committee issued specific instructions to suspend
the licence of a driver for a period of not less than 3 months
under Section 19 of the Motor Vehicle
Act, 1988 read with Rule 21 of the
Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 if
the driver was found in violation of
six ‘everyday’ offences.
In 2017, as many as 1,133 driving licenses
were suspended. Almost half
of this number were of the offence of
of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, while use of
mobiles while driving came a close second.
Now, as far as punitive measures go, suspension of license is
a welcome move and can be seen as an effective public safety
measure against common behind-the-wheel violations. However,
while suspension basically means that your driver’s license
is temporarily out of service, there are no effective checks and
balances to track the violator, who in all probability, will take
on the wheel during the interim period. Another concern that
comes into play here is that of blatant corruption. The harsher
the rules, the higher the scope for corruption and bribing the
police manning the roads has been like a walk in the park.
In view of the above, it is imperative to question whether despite
the strict implementation of the law and the suspension
of licenses, is there really a clamp down on risky driving? Are
road users observing safer and responsible driving practices?
Or is it just the coffers of the transport department that are seeing
merrier days?
Also worthy of mention is the caveat regarding two wheelers.
While issuing directives on suspension of licenses, the SC
panel also directed that helmet laws be made applicable not
just for the main rider but also for the pillion. Why hasn’t this
clause come into effect yet?
There is no doubt that we need to drive home the importance
of road safety for an accident-free and safe Goa, but on the flip
side, government should also provide good motorable roads
and a transparent system which will discourage corrupt practices.
