'Furnish details of fixing MSP to various types of vehicles'

Concluding that overspeeding is the main reason for most road accidents resulting in maximum fatalities, the Madras High Court today directed the central and Tamil Nadu governments to furnish details of fixing the maximum speed limit for various types of vehicles.
Justice N Kirubakaran gave the direction when a civil Miscellaneous Appeal under the Motor Vehicles Act relating to an accident due to overspeeding came up before him.
The judge directed the state and central governments to furnish details like whether any maximum speed limit has been prescribed for various types of vehicles, including non- transport vehicles like cars, three wheelers and two wheelers.

He also asked both the governments to consider why speed governors or similar devices should not be installed even for these non-transport vehicles.
Additional Solicitor General G Rajagopalan filed a publication by the central government, which stated that the state government has been given authority to classify the vehicles and also to find out the category of vehicles which are to be fitted with speed governor.
Special Government Pleader M Venugopal said details of maximum speed limit with which each category of vehicles can be driven, not only in respect of new, but old vehicles will be submitted to the court by July 28.

The Judge, after recording the reports of National Crime Records Bureau, 2014, said the Home Ministry's July 17 report would reveal that two wheelers had contributed to the maximum number of fatal road accidents, accounting for 26.4 per cent, followed by trucks/lorries with 20.1 per cent, cars 12.1 per cent, buses 8.8 per cent, station wagons 3.0% jeeps 4.5% and three wheelers 5.1%."

He said that an analysis of the report showed that most road accidents were due to over speeding, causing 4,38,654 deaths and injuring 1,81,582 persons in 2014.
Stating that it was essential to fit controlling devices, particularly in high power CC engines of two wheelers, he directed the state and the central government to furnish details of devices proposed to be fitted in various types of vehicles.

The judge then posted the matter for further hearing to July 28.