Fixed driving hours
Astudy conducted two years ago highlighted driver fatigue, drowsiness and lack of sleep as the biggest causes of accidents and fatalities in India, which has one of the worst road safety records. Efforts are now afoot to frame a policy to fix the driving hours of commercial vehicle drivers, much like for airline pilots. Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari is, in fact, keen on the introduction of onboard sleep detection sensors in commercial vehicles, on a par with the West, where some countries even require electronic logging to monitor work hours. The plan needs all-round support, but it would take more than a notification or an advisory for the transport sector, prone to cutting corners as a standard practice and reeling under the pandemic and the fuel price surge at present, to course-correct. Change has to be driven by a more honest and pragmatic assessment and government-industry interface.
The issue of fixed driving hours and mandatory rest is covered under the Motor Transport Workers Act enacted way back in 1961. Private truck, bus or taxi operators pay scant regard, but even the government staff have aired grievances. This has prompted the Punjab and Haryana High Court to make it clear that bus drivers, employed by Haryana’s Transport Department in this case, would not be made to drive on a day-to-day basis beyond 10 hours, and 48 hours staggered over a week. They would also be entitled to take extra rest on long stretches, the judge stressed. Strict application of the same norms for private entities would be a leap forward for road safety and employee welfare.
The amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act were expected to bring about a dramatic change in the way Indians behave on the road, infusing more discipline by tightening rules and increasing penalties. It’s been a slow start. Other than traffic rule infringement, potholes are the main source of mishaps. On endless lanes, traffic signals are either not present, do not stand out, or are hidden behind trees. Fixing these localised issues should be as important as the mega plans.
