Roads in Goa continue to be major death traps, with hundreds of people killed and hundreds more maimed or injured in motor accidents on our roads, every year. Latest official statistics revealed that present frequency averages 16 motor accidents per day and one fatality every 26 hours, and that majority of those killed on the roads are two-wheeler riders and /or pillion riders. The horrifying lack of traffic management has earned Goa the dubious distinction of being the killer state for witnessing the most traffic accidents per capita recorded in the country.
According to official statistics, Goa registered 4,572 accidents in 2010, resulting in 327 fatalities of which two-wheeler mishaps alone caused 184 deaths. In 2011, the state registered 4,557 accidents, resulting in 308 deaths out of which 176 died due to two-wheeler impacts. In 2012, 4312 accidents were registered with 292 fatalities of which 172 died in two-wheeler crashes. In 2013, 4283 road accidents took place, resulting in 309 deaths of which two-wheeler mishaps alone claimed 168 fatalities. And from January 1 to March-end this year (2014), there have been 1143 accidents, resulting in 79 deaths on the road, with 49 riders / pillion riders having lost their lives, compared to 28 during the same period last year. Incidentally, accidents involving two-wheelers increased from 753 during January and March 2013, to 852 during the same period this year, prompting the state government to enforce wearing of helmets compulsorily for both, riders as well as pillion riders on all roads across the state from October 2. The state currently enforces helmet compulsion for two-wheeler riders (not for pillion riders) only on Highways, whereas within a city and village, helmet wearing is not compulsory.
The statistics compiled by the Traffic Cell of the Goa Police during the last few years, clearly indicate that two-wheeler riders account for the maximum number of motor accident deaths and as a result, the government has come under severe public criticism for not mustering enough political will to make use of helmets compulsory on all roads. Social activists point out that the government has not woken up to its social responsibility and ensured strict enforcement of road safety provisions. Else there is no reason why the mortality on our roads, particularly among two-wheeler riders / pillion riders, should have seen such a rapid rise, activists say.
It may be recalled that following the alarming rise in the number of road deaths due to serious head injuries, involving two-wheeler riders / pillion riders, the state government in July 2012 had taken a decision on compulsory wearing of helmets for riders and pillion riders as per the Central Motor Vehicle Act, but subsequently, amended its decision after opposition from various quarters. Hence, Goa continues to remain one of the few states that do not strictly enforce Section 129 of the central legislation – compulsory wearing of helmets by both rider as well as pillion rider.
Most of the accidents took place due to reckless driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, involving youngsters below the age of 30. The highest number of accidents (50 per cent) took place on National Highways and 80 per cent of the total number of mishaps caused due to driver’s fault.
Police officials blame the lack of discipline on the roads, on nominal fines. Fines are so low that people do not learn from their mistakes. Officials point out that an increase in penalties is long overdue, as the last enhancement of fines was done over a decade back, when the penalties were raised by 50 per cent. The present fine amounts are no longer effective as they are too low to act as deterrent sufficient to tame habitual traffic offenders.
The Police, however, are squarely to be blamed for the increasing menace of minor persons unauthorisedly driving motor vehicles on the public roads, and who, consequently are a major cause of risk, not only to their own life, but to that of others as well. It is an open secret that police officials after taking hefty bribes are hushing up accident cases involving unauthorized drivers through falsification of records and thereby deliberately failing to take action as per law against owners of the vehicles (in most cases parents) even when a mishap resulted in fatality. The law mandates that whenever an unlicensed person is found driving a motor vehicle, the authorities concerned, besides taking action against the unauthorized driver, should impound the vehicle and penalize the vehicle owner. In fact, there has not been a single instance of penalization of vehicle owner, whose vehicle was found being driven unauthorizedly anywhere in Goa, in the last about two decades, since the law came in to force.
In the wake of continuing road accidents in the state, the Traffic police as well as the Transport department officials have intensified patrolling on the roads using interceptor vehicles fitted with cameras in order to keep a check on rash drivers. Apart from reporting mishaps on the roads, the recorded tapes help investigators to conduct a more scientific probe in the incidents. The system is introduced as part of the modernization programme of the State Traffic authorities.
Officials manning the camera-fitted vehicles have been provided with wireless devices. As soon as they spot a mishap on the road, officials report it to the Police Control room using the wireless system. Cops say the move helps them in deterring speeding and drunk driving; the vehicles are also used for regulating morchas or demonstrations.
The government has already started a month-long awareness campaign across Goa to highlight the importance of wearing helmets by both riders as well as pillion riders on all the roads in the state.
But, even as the traffic authorities are bracing up to implement the helmet rule opposition has been raised over thedecision once again, in certain quarters. Motorcycle taxi pilots, on their part, have made a plea to the government to exempt them from the helmet rule for pillion riders as, according to them, the decision will spell death knell to their employment . Similarly a signature campaign against implementation of the helmet rule is also underway in Salcete, terming the decision illogical in the absence of appropriately designed and well-maintained traffic infrastructure. State Transport Minister, Ramkrishna Dhavalikar, however, maintained that just because of opposition from a few sections, the fact that on an average, 66 per cent of accidents involving two-wheeler riders and pillion riders are fatal, cannot be ignored.
(The writer is a freelance journalist)
