Harsher traffic fines: We need to look beyond rules

The introduction of harsher penalties for traffic offences like drunk driving, use of mobile phones while driving, and jumping red lights is welcome. Drinking and driving may soon land you in jail for as many as four years. Using cellphones while driving, and this includes the use of hands-free equipment or texting, could lighten your pockets by up to Rs5,000 depending on how many times you have been caught in the act earlier.

Motorists have had this coming for a while now. Fuelled by a phenomenal rise in the volume of vehicles, our roads have in recent years descended into anarchy. There is a total lack of discipline and traffic sense among our drivers — and riders — and right of way is often decided by the size of the vehicle, which in turn appears to be inversely proportional to the size of the driver’s brain.

If sanity is to be restored on our roads, however, the government cannot stop with passing new strictures. It must ensure that the rules are implemented properly. The first thing to do is to increase the strength of the traffic police force across the country and equip it with enough vehicles, breathalysers and speed guns. Apart from this, local government authorities need to ensure that traffic lights, where installed, work properly, stop lines and zebra crossings are marked clearly, and speed traps and cameras are installed. Roads also need to be paved better, signage needs to be accurate, vehicle number plates need to be digitised, and every driving licence needs to go into a computerised database. Most importantly, there must be a proper system to address grievance.

Without such measures, the new rules will come to nought.