New traffic Act coming - stricter punishment

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Sep 03, 2014: Motorists violating traffic laws should be prepared to face stricter punishment as the old Motor Vehicles Act is set to be replaced by a new Road Traffic Act.

Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Monday that the new draft law will, to be introduced in the winter session of Parliament, will be at par with international Acts in the road sector.

 The Motor Vehicles Act of 1988 has outlived its utility and a holistic law is needed in the fast changing traffic scenario, Gadkari told a workshop on road safety in the national Capital.

The existing Act was not totally relevant in the current scenario and is in need of a complete overhaul, he said.  "The draft of the proposed act is already in its final stage and it will have features of the best practices of developed countries like the US, Canada, Singapore, Japan, Germany and the UK," he said.

 Gadkari said it was regrettable that 1, 38,000 people are killed in road accidents across the country every year.

The biggest problem faced in urban areas, in addition to road safety, is the unprecedented growth in the number of vehicles, leading to congestion and increasing traffic violations.

 Faulty project reports were made due to lack of effective road engineering, leading to more accidents and fatalities, he said. Calling for total transparency and zero tolerance for corruption, Gadkari said there is a need to fix accountability at the highest levels for such a large number of accidents.

The new law will provide a corruption- free and transparent system with a proper record of driving licences. He also laid stress on enforcement and education for achieving desired results on the ground. There is an eager wait to see the results.