TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: In view of the year-end festivities, the Transport Department is upping enforcement and those indulging in rash driving could now not only attract a fine but also face a charge-sheet.
Transport officials have disclosed that they will specially focus on the violations of Motor Vehicle (MV) Act, by students and make parents “abettors” in the crime. The objective is to curb the increasing number of road accidents and deaths related to youth on two-wheelers, Director of Transport Arun Desai told reporters on Tuesday.
Statistics suggest that a total 4,087 road accidents have been reported as on December 16, which include 225 fatal accidents and 242 deaths. Two-wheelers in the state comprise 68 percent of the total vehicle population in Goa.
Desai said that in the view of the increasing road accidents especially involving youth on two-wheelers, the department has decided to increase enforcement by holding special drives in schools and colleges.
“Apart from the enforcement wings, all registered licensing authorities have been asked to hold surprise checks in all educational institutions to ensure whether students are adhering to rules and regulations of the MV Act,” the director said. The officer will check whether students riders have valid licence, if involved in rash and negligent driving, driving with two pillion riders, racing or doing stunts.
“Most of the students are involved in rash and negligent driving, which most of the time results in death. During the check, anyone found violating law would be penalized,” he said.
“Moreover, department is now proposing to file charge-sheet against the vehicle owner. Parents would be made abettor in the crime,” Desai said appealing parents, who have given two-wheelers to their kids to make sure that their children posses valid licence and follow rules.
“The Transport Department alone cannot curb this menace. It needs to be a joint initiative,” he observed. The director said that the accident statistics are equally bad in the remote areas. The department has also decided to carry out extensive checks on roads, keeping in the mind the busy three weeks ahead, wherein there will be lot of vehicular movement on roads prior to Christmas, during Christmas and on the eve of New Year.
