'Woman safe drivers as compared to their male counterparts'

A cursory look at the figures on traffic related offences between 2010 to 2012 showed a clear distinction on traffic rules violation between the females and males while driving vehicles on roads in Chandigarh, the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, the states infamous for their skewed sex ratio.

Only four challans were issued to women for drunken driving as against over 4,000 men between 2010 to 2012, according to an official data released here today.

During the same three year period, 38 women were fined for not wearing seat belts as against over 18,000 men prosecuted.

While six women were issued challans for triple-riding as against over 3,500 men, 60 women were booked for over-speeding as against 6,000 men, it said.

Just 110 women were hauled up for jumping red lights as against 40,000 men, the figures of traffic related offences during the period points.

Chandigarh, which has the highest vehicle density in the country - over 800,000 registered vehicles for a population of just over one million - has a large number of females driving various types of vehicles, including cars and two-wheelers.

"We are active on enforcing traffic laws in the city irrespective of gender issue," DSP (Traffic) Kamaldeep Singh said here today.

On the issue of drunken driving by females in the city, he said that "women don't do it (indulge in drinking)...And if there is such a case they prefer that the male member accompanying them is on the driver's seat."

He, however, said that police is trying to make sure that a policewoman is present near the challaning (issuing traffic tickets) spot so that offenders if any, including women, are not let off.