The Union Government of India has approved the Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill that recommends some stringent norms and hefty penalties for those who violate regular traffic norms. Some such norms newly introduced include Rs.10,000 fine for failing to provide a way to emergency vehicles, Rs.10000 penalty for driving even after disqualification, and Rs. 10,000 for drunk driving.
Steep Penalties For Traffic Rule Violaters
The Motor Vehicle Bill was pending in the Rajya Sabha for approval and lapsed as the term of 16th Lok Sabha ended. According to a source, “The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill. It provides steep penalties for violation of various traffic norms.”
Road safety has been a prime concern for a long time. And the bill addresses all such concerns. Statistics reveal that one person dies in India every four minutes in a road accident. Also, around 16 children die on Indian roads every day. Not surprisingly, drunk driving is the major cause of maximum road fatalities.
According to an NDTV report of 2016, more than 1,37,000 people died in 2013 in road accidents. The bill introduces stricter provisions for offenses such as driving without a license, rash driving, juvenile driving, over-speeding, overloading, and drunk driving. Those who violate driving licenses will have to pay a fine of around Rs.1 lakh as per the new amendment.
Proposals Based Transport Ministers’ Recommendations
The changes in the proposal have been introduced based on the recommendations coming from the Transport Ministers of 18 states in India. These were vetted by the Standing Committee of Parliament. Some of the penalties that the Bill proposes to include a fine in the range of Rs.1000 to Rs.2000 for over-speeding, Rs.2000 fine for driving without insurance, Rs.1000 fine and suspension for 3 months for driving without helmets.
The Bill proposes that the owner or the guardian will be considered guilty in case the traffic rules are violated by juveniles. Also, in this case, the vehicle’s registration will also be canceled. The new provision says, “Guardian/owner shall be deemed to be guilty and there will be a penalty of Rs.25,000 with three years imprisonment and cancellation of registration of the Motor Vehicle”.
Traffic violations will now lead to a penalty of Rs.500 in place of Rs.100 whereas disobeying the authorities will attract a minimum penalty of Rs.2,000 in place of Rs.500. A person driving a vehicle without a license for an unauthorized purpose or driving without a license will have to pay Rs.5000 penalty.
According to an official source, “If aggregators are found violating licensing conditions, they will be charged a sum of up to Rs. 1 lakh.” Overloading of vehicles will lead to a penalty of Rs. 20,000.
