Penalties for Safety
Noida authorities have introduced steep fines and jail time for traffic offenders, starting this month
- Noida authorities have introduced steep fines and jail time
for traffic offenders, starting this month, in an attempt to improve road
safety and curb traffic accidents. Significantly increasing penalties for
several traffic offences, drunken driving will now invite a fine of INR 10,000
along with the possibility of six months imprisonment for first-time offenders,
while repeat violations will attract a fine of INR 15,000 and up to two years
in jail. Minors caught violating traffic rules will be slapped with a fine of
INR 25,000 along with three years of imprisonment, cancellation of vehicle
registration for a year, and disqualification to apply for a driving licence
until they turn 25. Other violations include riding without helmets, using
mobile phones while driving, invalid driving licences, invalid pollution
certificates, dangerous driving, overspeeding, signal jumping, overloading,
among others. This is in line with the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019,
which came into effect on September 1, 2019, across the country. Several states
have implemented the amended Act either in totality, partially or after
modification. In line with this Act, the government of Nagaland too had
notified penalties for various traffic offences, though its implementation is questionable
as the public continues to defy the rules, forcing the law enforcement agencies
to remind the citizens at regular intervals.
- Whether or not stringent measures like significant increases
in penalties for traffic violations serve as a deterrent will remain a
debatable topic, but a look at India’s road safety scenario will tell that the
situation warrants strict action against offenders. As per data shared by
states with the central government, more than 4.80 lakh road accidents were
reported in 2023, which resulted in more than 1.7 lakh casualties (474
casualties per day on average) and nearly 4.63 lakh people injured, which is
alarming. While cases of fatalities and injuries in the country increased in
2023 over the previous year, Nagaland has been witnessing a steady decline in
the number of road accidents, fatalities and injuries over the past few years.
This declining trend can be attributed to traffic advisories and regulations,
including limiting speed limits in accident-prone areas, imposed by the state
police during festival seasons, especially in Dimapur and Kohima. This
underscores the need for stringent action and penalties against traffic
offenders. Most importantly, preventive measures and safe driving practices
like not driving under the influence of alcohol, wearing safety gear, avoiding
overspeeding, etc. should be prioritised; it can save your life and that of
others.
