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September 16, 2019
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September 16, 2019Needed hefty fine and better infrastructure: Road safety experts
CPPR Chairman Dr D Dhanuraj comments the government should create awareness among public before imposing the hiked penalty in a news article published in The Times of India related to Motor Vehicles (amendment) Act 2019
As the state government is mulling over reducing the increased fine amount for various traffic violations under the Motor Vehicles (amendment) Act 2019, road safety experts are against the idea. They say the new rule, which will help bring down accidents, should be implemented, but only after creating awareness among public.
They also warn that the government should ensure better infrastructure. “Penalties for traffic violations in foreign countries are very high. Enforcement of motor vehicle rules will be effective only with the increased penalty. However, the government should ensure better infrastructure. Instead of implementing the new rules in a hasty manner, the government should create awareness among public about the hike. The government should take action against the agency which owns the road for delay in repair. It will encourage the public to accept the hiked penalty,” said Shaheem S, director incharge, National Transportation Planning and Research Centre
Sunil Babu, special officer, Safe Zone project, said that though the government had implemented Safe Kerala project to strengthen enforcement activities to bring down accidents, it failed to ensure proper infrastructure. “The government should provide better infrastructure for motorists and collect hefty fine for traffic violations. When Keralites visit foreign countries, they abide by the laws there without any complaints. When they return, they refuse to accept the rules here. That attitude should change. Besides, our culture of travelling only in private vehicles should also change,” Sunil Babu said.
Research coordinator at Centre for Public Policy D Dhanraj said that the government should create awareness among public before imposing the hiked penalty. “It should be minimum violation and maximum fine. At the same time, there should be better infrastructure. Tort law allows an affected person to sue the government for not providing better infrastructure which led to accident. This law should also be utilized by the public,” Dhanraj said.
This news article was published in The Times of India on September 15, 2019 Click on to read
