Considering that in the last three years 135 accidents occurred involving rented vehicles (cars/bikes) the Goa Police has released a new rule. Though the date of implementation is not mentioned, but henceforth any one wishing to rent a vehicle need to sign an undertaking which would be separate for cars and bikes. Of the two copies, one would be with the customer and the other with the agency renting out the vehicles.
The undertaking has 10 road safety regulations and a mention of legal actions in the event of breaking the road rules. Hopefully this measure could reduce the number of accidents and the undertaking is applicable to locals who also use rented vehicles. Two scenarios are not covered by the undertaking. (1) Those driving down to Goa or borrowing their friends and relatives vehicles once they are in Goa, and (2) Owners of carriage vehicles (city buses, taxis, autorickshaws, goods carrier etc.) who lease/rent out their vehicles to an user. We cannot blame only those hiring rented vehicles for the accidents because the issue of reckless driving by locals and settlers in Goa is not addressed nor the bad state of roads, absence and/or non-working traffic signals and CCTV cameras, no traffic cops at peak times and at crucial locations, and a lot more factors. Unless there is a strict compliance by drivers and stringent actions on offenders, the undertaking would just be a deterrent but not a complete solution to road accidents.
