Chief Minister Pramod Sawant reportedly told the state legislative assembly that a total of 272 road accidents involving rent-a-car/bike have been reported since 2019. During this period there have been 215 road accidents involving rented cars and 57 mishaps involving rented bikes. Rented cars have been involved in stunts, rash driving, driving on the beach and even fields, standing through sun-roof, jumping red signal, driving in wrong lane, drunken driving, etc. all of which are violations of Motor Vehicle Act and punishable under various sections. It is pertinent to note that in a bid to enhance road safety and accountability a new regulation was unveiled pertaining to the renting of vehicles. Individuals seeking to hire cars or bikes are mandated to sign an undertaking before venturing onto Goan roads. By signing the undertaking, renters acknowledge their commitment to obeying traffic laws, driving responsibly, and safeguarding the well-being of fellow road users. These vehicles are mostly rented by tourists who are not aware of the topography of Goa. Speed governors should be installed as mandated and the traffic police need to get access to GPS data from rental cars.
