NT NETWORK
Panaji
In order to curb drunk driving, the state government is planning to introduce a law to make compulsory on bars and pubs to provide escort driver services along with a vehicle for group members or persons who get drunk at the bar so as to drive them home safely.
Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho said this on Monday while speaking at the launch ceremony of the tenth state road safety week at the Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) bus terminus in Panaji. The theme of the week is ‘speed, focussing on streets
for life’.
“I have asked the transport department to make suggestions to the excise department to make it compulsory on every bar owner to offer driving services along with a vehicle for drunk customers. We are examining how to put a proposal in rule and implement it. This concept is already being followed in some foreign countries wherein one member in the group coming to the bar is not given liquor so that he can drive other members safely. It is done for the safety of innocent people on road,” Godinho said.
Speaking on the occasion, Godinho said road fatalities are high in the state and over-speeding, drunk driving and driving without licence are the major causes of road accidents. Appealing to the public to come forward to keep Goa safe from accidents and focus on roads as well as follow safe driving techniques while driving, the minister said the state has won several awards across various sectors from environmental conservation to best infrastructure development but now the time has come for us to get recognised on roadway safety achievements and towards making safe public transport.
A special vehicle has been designed by the transport department to create awareness on the occasion of the road safety week, which will continue till October 31. Awareness will be spread across the state through street plays, film screenings and other means.
Special chariots have been set up to convey the message in every village that helmet and head gear are of utmost importance while riding two-wheelers. Also, people will spot in city streets ‘Yamraj’, who will be giving traffic lessons to riders as part of the road safety awareness campaign.
