Minor drivers a major worry

Hit-and-run cases, especially ones involving minors, have become a routine affair in the city. However, the traffic police have defended saying that it is the staff crunch in the department that is keeping them from controlling errant drivers.

In the last three months, the city witnessed as many as four such incidents that took the lives of three and injured several others. But the department has done little to bring an end to these accidents. The biggest so far, was the Shilaj hit and run case. However, there have been several others which have not even been registered by the police department.

“We have been trying our best to nab the minor drivers and have even forced their parents to take them for counselling,” deputy commissioner of police MM Anarwala told DNA. Although the traffic department has taken a number of initiatives to keep a check on errant drivers, the results are far from satisfactory.

“The measures we take to prevent such unfortunate incidents are effective only for sometime after which things go back to the same,” said a traffic department official. Sources  said staff crunch was among the main reasons behind their failure to prevent road mishaps.

However, the department said it has plans to increase the staff soon. “Traffic chaos can be streamlined only if the people become more self-disciplined,” said Anarwala.

He  said parents should not allow their minor children to drive. They should not be given vehicles at all since they are already tensed because of the approaching exams. He claimed the number of accidents in the city have slumped from 33 during December-February, 2007-08, to 21 in the corresponding period in 2008-09.