Is this a cheeky little manoeuvre or an example of a society too selfish to waitIJ Jumping the lights is a mass motoring offence.
For want of a deterrent penalty, jumping the red light has emerged as the most recurrent traffic infringement in the national Capital. Delhi Traffic Police figures show how every fourth traffic violation in the Capital is running the red light.
This frighteningly common occurrence increases during night hours when motorists take advantage of minimal police presence. Of the 20 lakh challans and above issued by the traffic police this year till July 15, over 5 lakh prosecutions have been made for jumping the lights.
Senior traffic police officials cite insufficient penalty as reason for ignoring the lights. "As per the Motor Vehicle Act, jumping the red light invites a penalty of a paltry Rs 100. This is not enough deterrence to motorists," a senior traffic police official bewailed. With the derisory penalty, efforts by officials to discipline the motorists are often undercut.
This isn't speeding through a changing light, but a deliberate scuttle through after the lights have turned red. Motorists have long been accused of treating red lights as advisory rather than compulsory.
Police has prosecuted 5,17,430 motorists till July 15 this year for slipping through on a red light out of the 20,99,813 challans issued for sundry other traffic offences till mid-July.
Officials are optimistic that the situation might improve after the introduction of the e-challan system wherein a database of repeat offenders will be created. This data will be fed into the central server and penalties thus raised will be for second and subsequent offences.
As per the figures, the traffic police has issued 8,62,126 challans for jumping the red light in 2011, while 8,16,239 challans were issued last year. Total prosecutions for various traffic offences in 2011 were 35,19,786; last year they were 35,58,398, resulting in collections of Rs 45.21 crore and Rs 51.59 crore respectively.
"Intensive enforcement has led to the issuance of 20,99,813 challans this year till July 15 and a collection of Rs 31.64 crore from the fines levied for various traffic violations," said Taj Hassan, Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic).