Voluntary groups, activists, and transport and traffic officials promoting road safety have welcomed the amendment that has sought an increase in the minimum fine for talking on a cellphone while driving.
Arguing about the need to amend the Motor Vehicles Act, brought into force in 1988, they insisted that the rule will serve as a deterrent to habitual offenders.
Bimal Bhatia, Ghatkopar resident and member of the Responsible Road Users’ Club who has been driving since 1985, said, “We used to drive cars worth Rs75,000 then and pay Rs100 as a minimum fine, which pinched our pockets. But today, we could be driving cars worth Rs75 lakh and yet, the minimum fine is still only Rs100. This does not deter potential offenders. On Sunday morning, while I was driving back home after dropping my daughter at school for her annual day practice session, I saw a man riding a scooter trying to answer a call and fall in the process as he lost his balance. That is insane!”
Vidyadhar Date, veteran commentator and author of Traffic in the Era of Climate Change — a book that suggests several traffic and transport planning solutions, backed the proposal. “Such driving is irresponsible and I will say, even anti-social, as it puts the driver, other motorists and pedestrians’ lives at risk. So, any measure that helps in serving as a deterrence is welcome.”
Brijesh Singh, additional commissioner of police (traffic), contended that only a substantially large fine is effective in serving as a deterrent as it creates an economic disincentive. “Across the world, wherever the fines are high, the violations are proportionately low.”
State transport commissioner VN More said the suggestion for increasing the fines so that they are in sync with today’s inflationary times has been long overdue.
