The new Motor Vehicles Act (MVA) which has recently come into force in Goa with the imposition of heavy fines, and penalties for rash and negligent driving, over-speeding, jumping traffic signals , drunken driving, etc has failed to have any impact or positive outcome on Goa roads. Almost every day, there are newspaper reports of tragic accidents and deaths caused by motorists, who it is appears, refuse to be cowed down or reined in by the new rules, fines and punishment.
Even our school children are not safe, as was the recent case at the Curchorem bus stop, when 3 school children and a woman were knocked down by a speeding vehicle. In another case , a KTC school bus driver was found to be drunk while ferrying school children home from a school in Cujira , Panaji ( TGE, June 10). Even our pedestrian zebra crossings are not safe , as motorists do not stop or slow down to allow pedestrians to cross. Motorists pay scant respect to traffic signals even in the presence of traffic police. So, what is the solution to these problems?. And who is to blame for all this?
