Celebrity brigade for road safety

Sensitise motorists about rules
It is quite evident that many people who sit in the driver’s seat of a vehicle rarely follow the rules of traffic. As we see at traffic junctions, drivers hardly respect the stop line at the zebra crossing. They don’t care for the speed limit either. While there are rules in place to regulate traffic movement, they are hardly implemented strictly in the city. It’s very easy to break rules and get away from the penalties. People who drive vehicles feel that they have more power and so they flaunt their arrogance and indiscipline on the road. It is imperative to educate the people about traffic rules and make them sensitive towards pedestrians and other vehicles like fire brigade and ambulance, which ply in an emergency. I don’t think the campaign to promote road safety through celebrities and sportspersons will work in Mumbai. Instead ordinary people should come forward and start such a campaign to create awareness among people. This will be a success, since there will be genuine participation.         
—Krishnaraj Rao, pedestrian rights activist

Campaigns fizzle out eventually 
Like in Delhi, the traffic police officials in Mumbai had initiated various campaigns for creating awareness among motorists about  wearing helmets and seatbelts compulsorily, no honking in silence zones and drunken driving. These did well in creating awareness, till the campaign was on. But later everything fizzled out and things back to the same. The effect of campaign soon starts declining because policing is not strict in our city. It is not difficult to break the rules and then get away with minor penalty or punishment. I believe that spreading education about rules and regulation helps in following rules. But what is the use of such a campaign when our traffic department is unable to implement rules and regulations strictly. There is no need to initiate such a campaign, if our traffic rules are implemented strictly. It will alert everyone from committing any mistake or indiscipline on the road. This will be a real deterrent for rule breakers. So strict implementation and follow up of norms is required.   
—Renuka Kriplani, editor, Autocar show

Individuals should be responsible motorists
Roping in celebrities for the cause of road safety is a good move, since public figures have a huge fan following. By making them spread awareness about drunken driving and traffic rules will have a big influence on the discipline of motorists. I’m sure it will work since popular celebrities are very influential in their own way. When a common person observes such people talking about such matters, it will surely make them change their mindset. Yes, even Mumbai should also take such steps, in order to improve the traffic problems arising everyday. The move may help us eradicate Mumbai’s traffic problems.                    
—Joana Fernandes, BSc student

Glamour quotient may not yield results
Improving road discipline is a tough task for both the state governments of Delhi and Maharashtra. Because bringing this kind of awareness is not easy. First of all traffic police personnel should take strict action against anyone not following rules and regulations. There shouldn’t be any exception to this rule. Celebrities will catch the attention of public, but it might not necessarily result in improving the situation on the ground. I think groundwork needs to be in place rather than merely adding to the glamour quotient, for reaching out to the masses for better traffic rules and awareness. Celebrities alone will make a huge difference.   
 —Dhwani Shah, Bcom student

Catchy promotional campaign required
Roping in celebrities and film personalities  helps to create acceptance about any new venture. But it’s important to take the publicity forward and channelise it and do something concrete. If celebrities send the correct message, I think it will do wonders for the traffic scenario. If the rules are promoted through creative advertising and promotional campaigns, it can help a lot to keep the situation in control. In Mumbai, a similar campaign can definitely be initiated, but the advertising campaign needs to be really creative. I think it can be  localised also so that people can relate well to the campaign.   
—Apoorvaa Deshpande, engineering student

City’s traffic woes due to faulty planning
The new initiative by the Delhi Police is apt but should have been conceptualised long ago. I feel the plan to regulate traffic by roping in celebrities and sportspersons will work, since these individuals have a huge fan following that look up to them and respect what they have to say. As far as Mumbai is concerned, it doesn’t make sense as a lot of these initiatives have already been carried out. Moreover half of the city’s traffic problems are due to faulty planning of the megapolis. Mumbai should wait till the Commonwealth Games 2010 are over and see how effective this plan was in Delhi, before implementing something similar.          —Diana Michael, copywriter

Cash in on popular appeal of cine idols
It is a good initiative to create awareness among the people about traffic norms. Even the report on traffic conditions says that a large number of people die on the road. Following traffic rules is not difficult, but the lack of awareness creates major accidents. When celebrities will be roped in to spread the message of traffic rules, people will listen to them. But the celebrities should be popular like Akshay Kumar or Shahrukh Khan. Moreover police must increase the number of personnel deployed on the roads. They should focus on the strict implementation of traffic rules. The government should also focus on all states in spreading such awareness campaigns simultaneously.      
—Akshay Shankar, BSc IT student

Good traffic sense key to safety on motorways
It’s a nice initiative as any measure to increase awareness about road safety in India is commendable. The plan is surely going to click with youngsters since they are usually receptive to messages from celebrities, actors and sportsmen who they admire and respect. So, Mumbai too should emulate the innovative move, since the situation of traffic in the city is deteriorating. However good traffic sense along with adequate road infrastructure can keep the city’s roads safe. It’s need of the hour since recently there have been many instances of drunken driving involving youngsters. Hopefully such initiatives will make a difference and it will work and make a difference.   
—Sudhanshu Sinhal, managing director