Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: Can the tougher curbs under the new Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, 2019 bring down the rising number of accidents in Assam?
Reasons behind most of the accidents in Assam are mainly overspeed, overload, overtaking, violation of traffic rules, drunken drive, poor condition of roads etc. A driver has to pay through his/her nose for each and every violation of traffic rule now under the new Act that has no room for any leniency. According to those who scripted the new MV Act, the heavy penalties, in essence, are aimed at acting as an effective deterrent to traffic rule violation.
The situation, it seems, warrants so when it comes to Assam where accidents, including fatal ones, arising out of ‘irresponsible driving’ have been on the rise. According to statistics made available by the Assam police, in 2017 as many as 7,170 accidents occurred in the State, leading to the death of 2,783 people and injuries to 6,163 others. The trend kept rising in 2018 when as many as 8,248 accidents occurred in the State, killing 2,966 people and injuring 7,375 others. In the first six months of this year till June, 4,429 accidents occurred in the State, leading to the death of 1,720 people and injuries to 3,944 others. Certainly life is more precious for one than penalties burning holes in one’s pockets for violation of traffic rules. However, if the MV Act can check ‘irresponsible driving’ in the State or not is something to keep tabs on.