Higher fines may be counter-productive in absence of better road engineering: Road safety edu body

Higher penalties under the amended Motor Vehicle Act might prove to be counter-productive in absence of improvement in road engineering, environment and traffic signals, said road safety education body IRTE on Thursday.

The Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE) cited a study on road traffic violations saying the estimated numbers increased to more than 200 million per day in 2017, mostly on account of poor road engineering.

"The recent government contention towards the amendment to the Motor Vehicle Act is to improve the road safety in the country. While worldwide focus of road safety is the value or manifestation of an efficient and scientific traffic management system with three approaches, including engineering solutions, driver training and road user awareness, and enforcement.

"But, the focus of the present Motor Vehicle Act is on enforcement based on assumption that road environment and engineering solutions are in place," said IRTE President Rohit Baluja.

Baluja said most of traffic signals in the capital and signages do not correspond to standard codes of practice.

Similarly, he said at present most of the breath analysing machines/ devices are faulty and give wrong reading.