People break traffic rules as they feel they can get away with it: Expert

Minna Zutshi

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 19

The roads in Ludhiana are turning into killer roads. According to road safety experts, Ludhiana ranks number 2 on the list of the cities that have the highest number of fatal road accidents in the country. Dr Kamaljit Soi, a member of the National Road Safety Council, Ministry of Road, Transport & Highways, says Ludhiana is a city that has the second-highest number of fatal road accidents in India.

Non-implementation of traffic rules, over-speeding, drunken driving, underage driving and laxity in enforcement of the traffic rules are responsible for serious road mishaps, says Dr Soi.

There are as many as 45 venerable spots in the city, he says. “Another major problem is that there is no restriction on the entry of heavy vehicles in the no-entry zones in the city. Tractor-trolleys, driven rashly, are also responsible for road accidents.”  

“I usually come back from my office late in the evening. I have noticed that drivers leave their broken-down heavy vehicles on the roads. At night, these vehicles are not visible. They are an open invitation to road accidents that are absolutely avoidable,” says Rajinder Singh, who works in private sector.  

Ravinder, a resident of Barewal Road, says his acquaintance sustained serious injuries when a rashly-driven car hit him. “My friend was about to cross the road after buying groundnuts from a roadside vendor. A car hit him from behind. He was tossed on the other side of the road. He is still recuperating in hospital. It was nothing less than a nightmare for him,” he says.

Youngsters driving cars and SUVs at breakneck speed are a common sight on the city roads. Many drive under the influence of alcohol. “The youngsters not only put their own life in danger, they are also a risk to the safety of other commuters and pedestrians. On the Ferozepore Road, it is very common to see boys driving recklessly, particularly in the evenings. They switch lanes without any indication and throw all traffic rules to the wind,” says a college teacher.

According to Dr Soi, the people are flouting the rules as they feel that they can get away with it. “For the strict enforcement of the rules, the FOBC i.e. the Fear of Being Caught and the FOBP i.e. the Fear of Being Punished are imperative. If both or either of them is absent, the public doesn’t care two hoots for the rules. The enforcing agencies’ job is to enforce the rules with utmost stringency. But, unfortunately, the strictness is missing here,” he says.

Past incidents

On February 5, two persons were killed in two separate road accidents. A tea vendor died after being hit by an unidentified vehicle on the GT Road. One person succumbed to his injuries when a truck hit an auto-rickshaw on the Canal Road near Dugri traffic lights. On February 9, a seven-vehicle pile-up near Doraha left six injured. On February 11, a woman was crushed under truck on the Samrala-Khanna Road. On February 13, three lives were snuffed out in road mishaps. On February 16, a bike-borne man was killed after being hit by a car on the GT Road. On February 18, a 17-year-old boy lost his life in a hit-and-run case.

Boy killed in road mishap 

Ludhiana: A city boy was killed when a vehicle hit him on Saturday. The deceased has been identified as Pankaj of the Sherpur area. Prem Lal, his father, said he and Pankaj were on a walk towards Springdale School when a vehicle hit Pankaj. He died on the spot. The police have registered a case under Section 279, 337, 338, and 304 A of the IPC. It may be mentioned that this is the fourth such incident in the past 10 days. Three persons had lost their lives in accidents.— TNS