Safety on road

Higher penalty alone will not help

The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, which came into effect at the beginning of this month is making headlines, thanks to the steep fines for violation of traffic rules. Some state governments have opposed it, primarily because of the provision of higher penalties. The Gujarat government, for instance, has decided to reduce penalties for a number of offences including not wearing a helmet and seatbelt. While the Act has several provisions, such as the constitution of a motor vehicle accident fund to provide compulsory insurance cover to all road users and the possibility of developing a national transportation policy, it’s