PANAJI
With hefty fines and strict vigilance still having some limitations in curbing menace on the roads, the State government has now opted for a more stringent enforcement of the Motor Vehicles Act wherein any violator, whose licences are suspended, will have to mandatorily undergo a refresher training course to revoke the suspension.
The decision was taken as the State government, Goa Police and the Transport Department jointly launched Project TRUST (Traffic Rules Understanding and Safety Training) to enhance traffic awareness and bolster safety on the roads.
The officials stated that Driver Refresher Training is mandated by Section 19(2A) of the Motor Vehicles Act 1988. This crucial provision stipulates that licence holders whose licenses are suspended must undergo refresher training from a licensed establishment.
According to the Motor Vehicles Act 1988 and a Goa Government Gazetted Notification dated April 5, 2021, licenses are suspended for three months in cases of violations such as not wearing helmets, triple riding, carrying persons in goods carriages, drunken driving, using communication devices while driving, and second violations of over-speeding.
Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel insisted on strengthening the process for issuance of driving licences, improvising on the road signages and road engineering in Goa while Director General of Police Jaspal Singh said that the responsibility of road safety is on the shoulders of every citizen and not just the government.
This measure is expected to not only foster responsible driving but also contribute significantly to reducing accidents involving two-wheelers and instances of self-accidents.
“Henceforth, individuals found guilty of the aforementioned offenses will be required to undertake the refresher training course, encompassing behavioural aspects of driving, comprehensive knowledge of the MV Act, rules, and road signs. Upon successful completion, participants will receive a certificate, which will be instrumental in the process of licence revocation by the Regional Transport Office (RTO),” Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Rahul Gupta said.
