TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, ROAD RULES AND THREE WHEELER DRIVERS
The recent school bus accident has caused quite a public reaction and the law enforcing authorities and the Child Protection Authority has now started mulling over regulations that are needed to prevent such a situation from occurring again. But essentially school bus accidents are rare in comparison to the numerous three wheeler accidents that take place. These are often given very little publicity unless of course the accident occurs in some type of dramatic fashion. But the number of deaths and injuries caused in recent years to individuals, including school children, are in a sense much higher than those caused by bus accidents.
Going without locking device
To get a three wheeler driving licence is comparatively easy and many who are young get a licence and either hire a three wheeler for the day or buy one on installments. If he obtains it on a daily basis usually he has to pay at least Rs, 250 to the owner and usually attends to the repairs himself. If he gets it on an installment basis, he has to obtain an insurance cover.
Once he has the driving licence, in view of the competition, he invariably removes the locking device, a standard fitting that prevents steering at more
The three wheeler driver is unconcerned about road rules: he is a law unto himself. His anxiety is obviously to drive his passenger in the quickest time to his destination and then pick up as fast as possible another hire
than 90 degrees and then there he is on the road able to go with ease cutting across traffic, and driving at high speeds with little or no regard to his passenger whose life is in his hands .The haphazard manner of three wheeler driving causes many a motorist to swear at him as they swerve to prevent an accident. But, the three wheeler driver is unconcerned about road rules: he is a law unto himself. His anxiety is obviously to drive his passenger in the quickest time to his destination and then pick up as fast as possible another hire. And if he thinks a passenger is available at the opposite side of the road, he takes almost a 180 degree tur n to take on that passenger!
Registration with police
helps
At one time, police stations started a system whereby they registered each three wheeler that belonged to their police division. A number was given to the vehicle by the police division it belonged to and this infor mation was printed at the rear of the vehicle. Unfortunately as it often happens, these measures are soon forgotten when the police lose the novelty of such a scheme. As a result, the system is soon ignored or discarded and today you find a larger number of three wheelers which have no police division identity. This identity was useful because as it happens sometimes, a driver who attempts to harass a female passenger or drives recklessly could be reported by the passenger to the relevant police station.
Today, since we have such a plethora of traffic police officers, could not some of them be allocated with this task of registration? It would help to identify a vehicle which even other motorists consider as being drivev recklessly or carrying too many passengers, especially children to
school.
At one time, police stations started a system whereby they registered each three wheeler that belonged to their police division
Health check
Further more an annual medical check should be made compulsory to all passenger vehicle drivers. And this should not be a cursory test but one in which the eye sight of the driver and his blood sugar levels and blood pressure are tested. In fact my hip and spine disability today is due to an unforeseen accident caused by a three wheeler driver whose blood sugar level was way above normal.
Sterner measures needed
Often one finds that three wheeler drivers are drunk in the evenings. If police should find any three wheeler drivers under the influence of liquor or driving recklessly they should see that the licences of these drivers are suspended. There is no point filing action and then having them released on the payment of a fine. Unless some stronger punitive action is taken, they will continue to drive in the same manner. In addition, an annual check of three wheelers should be made compulsory. Motor Traffic inspectors should check whether the vehicles are in proper condition and the steering components have not been modified or disabled in order to take ‘U’ tur ns or drive faster.
Traffic police should have a special desk in each police station to see that the driving licence of a three wheeler driver is renewed only if he has undergone a medical check and his vehicle is in good roadworthy condition.