Steep hike in fines, jail term proposed; draft aims to cut road deaths by half in five years
From banning the use of even hands-free mobile phones while driving to making usage of rear seat belts mandatory; from making helmets mandatory for both driver and pillion riders to linking vehicle registration with insurance, vehicle offences, and fitness — the proposed Road Transport and Safety Bill 2014 has it all.
With an aim to bring down road crashes and related deaths by half in the next five years and to near zero in the next decade, the new draft proposes increase in penalties for traffic offences by over 100 per cent in most cases of traffic violations.
There are heavy penalties for offences involving children. The fine proposed is a seven-year jail term and `3 lakh fine for the offender if a child dies in accident. If school bus drivers are caught driving drunk, `50,000 fine will be imposed with imprisonment for three years, while “immediate cancellation” of licence will take place in case of drivers in the age-group of 18 to 25 years involved in such incidents.
The new Bill makes the use of rear seat belt mandatory. Front seat occupants too will have to wear the seat belt. It is already mandatory in Delhi. It will be made mandatory for manufacturers to provide the front and rear seat belts in all new cars. The cry for mandatory rear seat belt grew loud after the death of former Union Minister Gopinath Munde, who died after a fall from his rear seat after a road crash.
The provision for mandatory helmets for both rider and pillion rider has been proposed at a time when it has been made a must in the national Capital by bringing women, barring Sikhs, within the ambit.
The Bill has also sought to reduce the powers of the Regional Transport Offices by limiting its public dealing by making the processes of procuring driving licence online. It also stipulates automated driver licensing test; and mandatory checks for roadworthiness tests for all cars and two-wheelers every five years.
In line with penalty clauses in developed nations, the new Bill provides for graded point system for imposing fines. The Bill does not only encompass traffic offenders, but also comes down heavily on the erring vehicle manufacturers. The Bill proposes a fine of `5 lakh per vehicle as well as imprisonment for faulty manufacturing design.
Statistics with the Government record about five lakh road accidents annually in India, with close to 1.8 lakh deaths. For the first time ever, the Government has set a target of bringing down road casualties by 20 per cent annually on paper.
The draft Bill, which the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways uploaded on its website to invite suggestions from public at large on Saturday, also proposes strict fines including cancellation of licenses in repeated offences.
“We have sought comments from public and stakeholders on the Motor Vehicles Bill and will thereafter finalise it for presentation to Parliament during the ensuing Winter Session,” said Vijay Chibber, secretary, MoRTH on the sidelines of a seminar on ‘Road Safety During Dark Hours’ organised by the International Road Federation.
The Government will set up of a national road safety and traffic management board within this year through an executive order without waiting for legislation.
“We will create the national road safety board by the end of this year, through an executive order, without any need for legislation. We have to make a concerted effort to halve the number of accidents annually,” said Chibber.
According to the new Bill, the first offence for drunk driving will attract “Rs 25,000 fine, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months, or with both, and a six-month licence suspension. Second offence within three years will result in Rs 50,000 penalty or imprisonment for up to one year or both and a one year licence suspension.”
“Any subsequent offence shall result in the cancellation of the licence, and impounding of the vehicle which may extend for 30 days,” reads the draft bill.
Violating traffic signal three times will result in Rs 15,000 fine, licence cancellation for a month and compulsory refresher training, the draft Bill said. The new Bill also mandates providing for speed limits on all roads.