The ghost of helmets keeps haunting us over and over again. Periodically, allegedly at the instance of some police and transport department officials for monetary gains in connivance with the helmet manufacturer's lobby, attempts are made solely with an objective to enhance the sale of helmets. Over the last twenty years this issue has been raked up time and again and one fails to comprehend as to why it cannot be laid to rest once and for all.
The Motor Vehicles Act is a Central Act but the State Government is empowered to make relevant exemptions as to the use of helmets and it is for the Government to convince the Courts of the exemptions made. It is surprising as to why the Government, which after careful consideration just a few months ago, introduced two exemptions to the helmet rule, has now suddenly made a U-turn and withdrawn these exemptions. More fatal accidents will take place due to the practical inconveniences of wearing helmets, especially within the city limits. It is known to all that lives can only be saved when our roads are made safe. As far as two wheeler riders are concerned, helmets are no solution to the root problem. Making helmets compulsory by itself will not minimise the number of deaths. People will continue to die regardless of whether they wear a helmet or not. The Government must take some genuine concrete steps to deal with the root causes of accidents. Helmets are only an added protection which could be of help as long as the Government first tackles the other road safety hazards. The authorities are turning a blind eye to reckless traffic violations by four wheelers, especially the rash and negligent buses and trucks which are the cause of major deaths on roads.. It is dismaying that the government and specifically the Public Works Department have not taken any action to make the roads safer although the National Road Research Institute, commissioned to study and identify accident-prone spots along the highways in the State, had identified over two hundred spots of which seventy were deemed extremely dangerous. The Institute had pointed out that the geometrics of the roads at these accident-prone spots have to be urgently realigned to prevent repeated accidents disasters but the Government had done nothing about it. Even the death, some months ago of an entire Canacona family of four members did not open the eyes of the authorities to ensure that some sanity is brought to our pot-holed and ill-planned roads. The buses of the Kadamba Transport Corporation have been distinguished as the major killers on our roads today. The Kadamba drivers account for a lot of the accidents and severe action needs to be taken against them. Mere suspension will not do the trick. Something more magical will have to be done for some results to show. Verna is not Goa's only death trap. The Panaji-Ribandar causeway has excelled in claiming so many precious lives. What action is our dormant administration contemplating to ease this big bottleneck? It's an irony that though most PWD Ministers in recent years have hailed from the Ponda Taluka they seem quite relaxed and allow fellow Goans to have a traumatic drive on this route. Today our highways and other roads are infested with stray cattle and dogs. The authorities have failed to take any steps to ensure that these stray animals do not squat on the highways and cause so many accidents. How many more lives will the Kadamba buses have to claim for the authorities to crack down on these reckless and speeding drivers? These drivers cannot be allowed to get off lightly or scot-free for crimes they willfully and persistently commit. The Government has failed to provide a decent public transport system and people have to depend on two wheelers to travel with their families. If the rule is enforced without any exemptions it would be applicable to both rider and pillion rider, including children travelling on the two-wheelers. If the Government is really interested in road safety the first step should be to end the rampant corruption in the police and transport departments. The authorities should also stop turning a blind eye to the reckless traffic violations by four wheelers especially the rash and negligent buses and trucks, which are the cause of major deaths on roads. Why will accidents stop if driving licenses can be bought over the counter and if road-unworthy vehicles manage to ply recklessly on our roads? Leave aside the other very glaring instances of corruption within the transport department where even the pollution certificate (P.U.C) are sold without checking the vehicle. 2003 saw the death of 51 pedestrians itself . So a lot more will have to be done to ensure that sanity prevails on our roads before helmets are enforced.. Aires Rodrigues Ribandar ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
