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ROAD SAFETY WEEK – AN EVENT IN VAIN

Young Bites. Dated: 1/20/2020 1:34:50 PM

MAHADEEP SINGH JAMWAL Vehicular Traffic means the number of vehicles moving along roads whereas traffic on roads may consist of pedestrians, ridden or herded animals , vehicles, street cars, buses and other conveyances, while using the public way for purposes of travel. We have observed that escort and trailing vehicles of VIPs are the biggest menace to the traffic problem and is nothing but ‘chamchagiri’ of police wallas towards their mentors. To govern and regulate the vehicular traffic laws and the informal rules that have developed over time are there to facilitate the orderly and timely flow of traffic. To manage and regulate traffic a full fledged traffic department, a separate wing of police department is there in every state including J&K. But we often observe and see that this department has turned out to be a uniformed group of highway extortionists extracting money from the drivers plying on roads. When we look on the roads of J&K, we find group of this fraternity scattered on the roads after every 20 kilometers stopping the vehicles and collecting money in the shape of daily sops, weekly and monthly fixtures and this is never possible without the blessings of senior hierarchy of the department including their mentors sitting on musical chairs in the government. Many times we find postings uploaded on social media exposing them openly minting money but we never find any outcome of tall claims of the seniors to curb this open loot on roads. The traffic claims countless number of deaths every year and there are number of causes for this agony, such as bad condition of roads, vehicles, over speeding, drunken driving, racing, and fiddling with music players, conversing on cellular phones, lacking use of helmets etc, but above all the issuance of driving licenses by the concerned authorities in a most corrupt way. Whenever a major accident takes place the local administration, politicians land on the accident sites with battery of official vehicles and ministers’ perch from flying machines to shed crocodile tears making big announcements of bringing reforms in this sector and again hibernate in their holes for till next tragedy. Road safety is social concern in the the last some years we that RTOs/ARTOs in collaboration are focusing the road safety and every year a week is dedicated this cause brandishing ‘Road safety week’. During the week end many (almost everyone) are managed by the over enthusiastic private schools putting minor children on roads carrying placards. The administration too holds some program the recreational halls with selected audience and traffic week is celebrated by amusing themselves through local folk artists dancing on the rhythm and songs composed on traffic safety. The traffic police become conspicuous on every crossing, congested areas thereby creating a panic among the common man. What a way of awaking the public about safety on road? Here are some suggestions to the local administration, traffic police and road transport authorities to focus their attention on these points to make the traffic safety week worthy of it: • Aware the public about the events which disrupt the flow and may cause traffic to degenerate into a disorganized mess include road construction, collisions, and debris in the roadway. • All road users must be guided by the objective of enhancing road safety and must pay heed to the legitimate directions and suggestions of traffic police personnel and observe traffic norms and regulations. • People in India's political sphere do not have the will to curb traffic accidents. There is general lack of respect for traffic rules and it is a contributing factor for road accidents. receiving or making calls when at driving should be awakened defaulters in the vehicles. The bad driving of Indian people required being curbed driving schools should focus on enhance the art and efficient driving. The schools are merely issue learner’s license requisite to go for driving license. Speed is one of main problems roads and law enforcement power to reduce it. Obtrusive law enforcement can have two effects. First, there is a preventive effect: passing drivers notice enforcement activities and most of them will slow down when seeing a police patrol. Second, there is a repressive effect for detected offenders; they either receive a warning or a notice. The police can choose to optimize one of these two effects. • Traffic police is one of the main traffic law enforcement services to traffic control and traffic direction are the main tasks of the traffic police therefore the traffic police should be specialized in traffic enforcement only rather than to checking of documents, a responsibility of RTAs and mobile magistrates. • Traffic control is one attempt to solve the problem of a human survival on the roads in our mechanical and electronically era. The basic purpose of the Police Traffic wing is to protect road users. This kind of protection demands from the Traffic Police, particular knowledge of different planning and assessing police road safety process, special education and training programs, special police tactics, traffic control devices. • A clear cut Strategy required establishing and well communicating to all ranks. It is based on selective enforcement which is defined as enforcement proportional to traffic accidents with respect to time, place, type of violations, violators. • The public at large is to be motivated to help injured persons in road accidents by taking them to nearby hospitals and by informing the police. One would not be asked to be a witness in the case or otherwise put to any inconvenience. • Although the driver of the motor vehicle responsible for a road accident is duty bound to take all reasonable steps to secure medical attention for the injured person by conveying him to the nearest medical doctor or hospital, but it is required to be make practical, unless it is not practicable to do so on account of mob fury or any other reason beyond his control. • The medical fraternity should be aware of his duties in a hospital to immediately attend to the injured person and render medical aid without waiting for procedural formalities. Concluding it is not out of proportion to pen down that merely speaking and awakening public in a week can help in maintaining road safety for rest of 358 days, when these days are fully devoted to money minting season by closing the eyes towards traffic violations in full swing throughout the year. The author can be reached out at 999expo999@gmail.com