Page 70 - Trafficinfratech Magazine Aug - Sept

MAKING A POINT

New Motor Vehicle Laws

ndia’s parliament approved of 1988 was drafted when the on road safety and traffic
the Motor Vehicles country’s motorization was in management. The bill empowers
Amendment Bill on July its nascent stage. Policymakers the central government to come
31, 2019, the result of a wanted to boost motor vehicle up with national transport policy,
Ifive-year effort to improve ownership, and thus prioritized which would help develop a
national legislation on road the movement of goods framework for planning, granting
safety. After the president’s and passengers. But the permits and setting priorities
approval, India’s streets may legislation was missing a crucial for the road transport sector.
finally become safer places for feature: safety. Encouragingly, the bill clearly
both pedestrians and drivers. links infrastructure design to
Road traffic deaths have Motor Vehicles Bill will safety. If agencies, contractors
reached alarming levels across improve safety: or even consultants fail to design
the world, with 1.35 million Road safety revolves around or maintain safe roads, the
people dying in traffic accidents users, vehicles and infrastructure. government can penalize them
every year, but India’s road safety The Motor Vehicles Amendment with fines of up to $1,500. The
is the worst on record. Around Bill addresses these three bill also proposes a new category
149,000 people lost their lives segments in significant ways: of permits that will help scale
on Indian roads in 2018 alone. Road safety and up public transport services
India accounts for about 2% of infrastructure planners: in cities as well as rural areas.
motor vehicles globally, yet it’s Research shows that the risk of
responsible for more than 11% The bill proposes creating a being involved in a traffic crash
of road traffic deaths. board with representation from increases with every kilometer
state governments to advise travelled in a personal vehicle.
Shifting priorities from central and state governments Increased use of public transport
moving cars to moving
people
Countries that have improved
their road safety have often
done so through effective central
legislation, such as Sweden,
Australia, United Kingdom etc.
While India has been discussing
amending its Motor Vehicles Act
for more than two decades, the
trigger for action came when
then-Central Minister Gopinath
Munde was killed in a traffic crash
in June 2014. India’s signing of
the Brasilia declaration to reduce
road traffic deaths 50% by 2020
spurred further momentum.
India’s Motor Vehicles Act

70 August-September ’19 / TrafficInfraTech www.trafficinfratech-com-500653.hostingersite.com