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Saturday, May 17, 2008
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Online edition of India's National Newspaper Saturday, May 17, 2008 ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version |
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Tamil Nadu
Speed limits are often ignored by vehicle users, says R. Rajaram
Consumer activists and service organisations recently came together in the city to draw the attention of the government authorities to the rising number of road accidents. Though there were other pressing issues which they highlighted, foremost on their agenda was the critical issue of road accidents and the urgent remedial measures required to curb the disturbing trend. Their clarion call comes at a time when Tiruchi c ity is beset with mounting traffic rule violations by motorists, notwithstanding regular booking of cases against offenders by the law enforcers, leading to fatal accidents besides causing injuries to the road users. Almost every day the traffic police wing comes across an accident case reported on the city roads that is struggling to cope with the surging vehicular population. Road accidents have already claimed the lives of 52 persons within the city limits over the past four months (from January to April) alone. Rule violations of varied forms are witnessed on the busy thoroughfares including over-speeding, overtaking on wrong side, drunken and negligent driving by vehicle users. Speed limits are often ignored by several vehicle users and private town buses, threatening the safety of law-abiding motorists and pedestrians, who happen to be the most vulnerable road users today. Shrinking road space, burgeoning vehicle population coupled with violations have all made driving not so pleasurable on the city roads today. Violations occur right under the nose of the lone traffic police personnel posted in various vantage points in the city. Human error in the form of either negligence, over speeding and rash driving is the primary cause for most number of road accidents today, say law enforcers. Booking of cases under various head of offence only points to the continuing violations, much to the chagrin of the police personnel. Over 200 drunken driving cases and 293 over-speeding cases were booked by the enforcement authorities over the past four months alone. The haste to beat the other vehicle users could well be noticed on the city roads. This is more evident in the rat race among the private town buses to rake in maximum collection in each trip they make without any hesitation to break rules. In one such instance, a private town bus rammed into a commercial establishment on the West Bouleward Road a few months ago. Consumer activist M. Sekaran says that government buses alone should be allowed to operate in city limits. Private route permits should be given only on mofussil routes. This would also go a long way in reducing violations and curb accident rates within the city. Similarly the rule pertaining to movement of lorries within the city limit should be strictly enforced, he says. It was high time encroachments along road sides were removed to ease congestion and check accidents besides providing dedicated footpaths and zebra crossing for the safety of the pedestrians. The Traffic Advisory Committee should have public representatives and meet regularly. The authorities should also develop necessary road infrastructure by planning better in tune with the rising vehicle population, he feels. Police authorities on their part seek the cooperation of the vehicle users in reducing the accident rate. Basic driving discipline coupled with adherence to rules would ensure safety on roads, they say. The law enforcers, however, say they had accorded a thrust to check drunken driving and over speeding, which according to them were the prime causes for accidents.
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