Reckless driving: You stand lose your licence

Your driving licence is likely to be cancelled if you violate traffic rules!

Following the tragic death of Union minister Gopinath Munde in a road accident on Tuesday, the NDA government has decided to bring in stringent laws to tackle lawlessness on roads.

On Thursday, Nitin Gadkari held a review meeting on road safety with senior officials of the ministry.

Transport minister Nitin Gadkari said the new legislation would ensure installing of CCTV cameras at all traffic signals, redesigning of heavy vehicles and centralising the data bank to check misuse of driving licences.

"A system based on technology would be developed to confiscate driving licences of those who violate road safety rules, and they will find it difficult to obtain it again. There will be provisions for cancelling permanently the licence of serial violators, to suspension of licence for six months after three violations," the minister added.

The ministry will draft an umbrella act in about a month's time incorporating various Central rules and laws like the Motor Vehicles Act 1988, Central Motor Vehicle Rules 1989, Carriage by Road Act and Rules, etc.

"In a month's time we will bring in a new legislation, the Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill. It would be drafted on the lines of rules in six developed countries—USA, Canada, Singapore, Japan, Germany and the UK," Gadkari said. Before being introduced in Parliament, the draft would be placed before the National Road Safety Council where Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be invited.

"Cameras would be installed at traffic signals to keep an eye on those violating rules. Anyone violating law will be issued a challan in the next 24 hours," said the minister.

He said manufacturers of heavy vehicles like trucks would be asked to make certain changes to the design of vehicles to incorporate safety requirements. Gadkari also announced that in six months' time, all public transport vehicles in cities with over-10 lakh population would be fitted with advanced GPS tracking system for safety of women.

The government believes the new law, once introduced, would help reduce the number of road deaths. "In 4.9 lakh road accidents in 2012, 1.38 lakh people died, and as many as 5.09 lakh persons were injured," Gadkari said.

He also directed the regional managers of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to visit all accident prone sites to improve road safety provisions there. He said the ministry was also considering reducing road traffic density by developing inland waterways and promoting coastal shipping.