Roll back hike in traffic fines at cost of lives, say state activists

BENGALURU: The Karnataka government’s proposal to reduce the increased traffic fines under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 has not gone down well with road safety activists, who warn that a rollback of the hike will result in a spike in road accidents.
As many as 10,990 people died in road accidents in Karnataka last year — an average of more than 30 fatalities a day. Many of these accidents were caused by speeding, drunken driving and riding two-wheelers without helmets.

After the amended MV Act increased by up to tenfold the penalties for traffic violations, Bengaluru motorists have displayed enhanced compliance with the rules, activists and road users say. There has been a visible reduction in instances of jumping signals and riding without helmets, they say.
“Fines relating to actions by drivers that can cause loss of life or injuries should not be reduced,” said Cambridge Layout resident Dr Shubhangi Tambwekar, whose daughter was killed in a road accident in Vellore in 2014.
Srinivas Alavilli, of the NGO Citizens for Bengaluru, agrees.
“Rolling back the hike will only encourage errant drivers to continue to break the rules,” he said. “The hefty fines have changed driving behaviour for the better over the past few days. Many motorists are upset at the imposition of fines. But a driving licence is issued to a motorist on the condition that he will drive responsibly, so demanding better infrastructure before a hiking fines does not make any sense.” He said the fines should be spent on road safety and public transport.
After the amended Motor Vehicles Act set a penalty for some violations at Rs 10,000, motorists said it would lead to an increase in corruption by traffic policemen, who would simply take larger bribes.
The Gujarat government was first off the block, notifying a revised regime that lowered the traffic fines for some violations by between 25% and 90%. Karnataka is likely to take the same route.