The decision of the State Transport Department to keep in abeyance the suspension of driving licences of motorists for certain traffic violations until it receives a legal opinion on the matter, will have come as a relief to many motorists. In the past few months, Transport Department has been receiving numerous recommendations for the suspension of licences and the figure is now 7279. The suspension of the licences has been recommended as the holders of the licence were caught violating certain traffic rules. While motorists, especially those whose licence have been confiscated by the law enforcers, will be quite glad that the suspension of licences has been postponed, this should not come as a licence to others to break the traffic rules with impunity.

Over speeding, talking on the mobile phone while driving, jumping the red light, drunken driving, are some of the traffic violations for which the driving licences had been recommended to be suspended. This was done following the guidelines of the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety (SCORS) that the police in the State followed. What the Transport Department has sought legal opinion on is whether SCORS guidelines are binding on statutory authorities and whether suspending licences after having compounded the offence amounts to double jeopardy.

The Transport Department’s decision came after people raised questions on the procedure of suspension of licences. It was pointed out that some of the licences that had been sent for suspension were for first offences, which motorists found too harsh and questioned whether this is even possible under the law – where a first time offender can have the driving licence suspended. Some had gone on to suggest that implementation of the over speeding rule should be in a phased manner and a points system be introduced where a driver or a rider would have his licence suspended after having totaled a certain number of points against his or her name. There had also been suggestions on the signages along the roads. Goan roads are notorious for the lack of proper speed limit signages, which was questioned. While these suggestions are reasonable, it is also pertinent to note that unless there is some strict implementation of traffic rules, motorists will continue to violate the rules.

But, implementation of rules has to be conducted regularly and not in sudden spurts, as is being done now in the State. Armed with their new laser speed radar guns, the police in the State had begun a major drive against over speeding. Along highways and other roads, unsuspecting motorists were stopped and going by the SCORS guidelines, their licences were recommended to be suspended. While action has to be taken against motorists breaking the speed limit, there has also been the demand that the traffic rules should apply uniformly to all vehicles, including to those belonging to the government that drive VIPs around. Motorists have pointed out that government cars get away by breaking the speed limit, while the common man is penalised for the violation.

If now it is breaking the speed limit that the cops are focusing on, some time ago it was drunken driving, that they had come down upon. It is this sudden zeal for a drive against over speeding that has led to the increase number of recommendations for suspension of licences. The drives, however, don’t act as deterrents, but serve to caution motorists only temporarily, who go back to their old ways once the police interest in the drive drops. Since most accidents are due to over speeding and drunken driving, the only way to reduce this is if the police keep this regularly. Sudden drives won’t help, as will not the sudden mass suspension of driving licences.