India mulls tough driving laws |
Dramatically rising road traffic, road rage and accidents are turning India`s government, civil society and judiciary to mull stringent laws and fines to discipline drivers. But the government has come under criticism for making tall claims on safety laws, yet not making them work. The originally proposed draft Road Transport and safety Bill has changed. Earlier, the government recommended tough punishments for rash driving including the provision of seven years of jail if negligent driving resulted in the death of a child. The final version has brought it down to at least one year. Even the fine has been brought down from Rs 300,000 to only Rs 50,000. There are similar dilutions in the penalty provisions whether it`s rash and negligent driving or driving under the influence of alcohol and even overloading besides other offences. The Supreme Court has termed light sentences being awarded in road accident cases as mockery of justice. The apex court has asked Indian Parliament to scrutinize, re-look and re-visit the penal laws saying the poor`s life was as worth living as that of the rich. The Court was compelled to observe that India has a disreputable record of road accidents; there is a nonchalant attitude among the drivers and they feel that they are the `Emperors` of all they survey; drunkenness contributes to careless driving where other people become their prey.
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