The stark difference between what the government says and what actually happens is witnessed by people in India in general and in Maharashtra in particularly in constant defiance of the basis traffic discipline. On its part, the government can claim that it has laid down a set of rules and regulations for traffic discipline and that the violators are penalised by imposing a fine. But this is little relief as while precious lives are lost and the unfortunate survivors have to nurse their serious disabilities for life, the perpetrators are let off with light punishment in many cases.
Our legal provisions dealing with traffic offences and those concerning manslaughter or causing death due to road accidents are not stringent enough. Even the existing provisions are not implemented by the police department, one can see. Against this backdrop, it will be advisable to understand the legal framework about traffic.
It is hence educative to know important Traffic Rules issued by the Maharashtra government for 4-Wheelers and for 2-Wheelers.
While driving a four-wheeler in Maharashtra:
– Maintain Speed Limit: The speed limit for cars in Maharashtra is 100 km/h on highways and 60 km/h in urban areas.
– Stick To The Left Side: Keeping to the left not only ensures safety but also helps maintain a smooth traffic flow.
– Don’t Drive When Intoxicated: Refrain from drinking and driving as it can lead to hefty penalties and fines and a risky thing.
– Use Indicators: Signal well before your intended turn or lane change to prevent accidents and ensure safe driving.
– Buckle Up: Wearing a seatbelt is necessary for all drivers and passengers travelling in four-wheelers.
– Carry Valid Documents: When driving a four-wheeler, make sure your driving licence, vehicle registration, insurance, permit and PUV certificates are with you.
– Get Car Insurance: Ensure you carry your car insurance.
While driving a 2-wheeler in the state
– Always wear a proper helmet while riding a scooter/bike/moped to avoid traffic challans and protect against head injuries.
– Avoid overloading a two-wheeler or triple-riding, as it can lead to traffic fines in Maharashtra.
– Never use a mobile phone or any device while riding to prevent distractions, accidents and hefty fines.
– Ride responsibly and stay within the speed limit; avoid aggressive riding or road racing to ensure safety and avoid vehicle fines.
– Carry all relevant documents while riding and be prepared to produce them when required, to avoid penalties.
Perusal of these guidelines underscores the fact that rather than warning people about the dangers of rash and illegal driving, more emphasis is given to the fines and the advice is to avoid paying fines, rather than saving lives or averting accidents. Hence, the emphasis of these guidelines needs to be revised.
After reading and following these guidelines, if anyone travelling anywhere in Maharashtra at any time of day or night tries to observe them in toto, he will testify that hardly any of these rules or regulations are observed. Although the police department keeps on claiming that it has been enforcing traffic discipline, their claims are seen to be fabricated. The best examples to prove this are the Worli-Bandra Sea Link or the Mumbai-Pune Expressway where vehicles are seen driven recklessly by a large number of users.
Maharashtra ranks second in the country in terms of having the highest number of road accidents, as of 2024. Over the years, there has been an increase in fatal accidents in different cities across India. As a result, the Union government has made amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act in 2019 to ensure that the number of road casualties comes down.
In November 2019, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways released data indicating that road fatalities in Maharashtra had led to approximately over 13260 deaths in 2018. This represented an 8.10 percent increase in accidental deaths, compared to the previous year. The updated statistics indicated that as of 2020, over 12000 people in Maharashtra died in road accidents. Traffic discrepancies have been identified as the primary cause of the fatalities.
According to traffic officials, this rapid increase in fatalities due to road accidents could be attributed, to quite an extent, to over-speeding. To curb this increasing number of accidents, not just in Maharashtra but on a pan-India basis, the Union government has brought several amendments to the existing Act.
According to the state traffic police, road crash fatalities on state and national highways across Maharashtra witnessed a slight dip in 2023. The fact is that more than 15000 people perished in over 34000 road crashes. The police found solace in the fact that compared to nearly 15220 deaths in 3338 accidents in 2022, the total fatalities were less. The total number of fatalities in 2021, though, was much lesser, at about 13530 deaths in the state.
Casualties on the Mumbai Pune Expressway, the busiest national highway in India, also showed a slight drop in 2023. They claimed 63 lives in 153 accidents. This has been compared with the 92 deaths in 198 accidents in 2022. The number of black spots on the state’s roads and highways, where accidents are known to recur frequently, also came down in 2023 to 480 from 742 in 2022 and 1004 in 2021. These efforts, no doubt, are welcome but not enough.
According to a road crash report released by the Maharashtra traffic police, most accidents across the 3.4-lakh km road network in the state in 2023 occurred due to behavioural issues such as speeding, drunk driving, incorrect or no helmet use, no seatbelt and child restraints. The prestigious Samruddhi Maha Marg, linking Nagpur with Mumbai, witnessed the highest number of fatalities. It is recorded that 141 road users on this stretch lost their lives in 1239 crashes. The fatalities along the Samruddhi Maha Marg had showed an increase in 2023 during the months of August and September. Fortunately , these came down drastically, thanks to the inter-agency cooperation and efforts by the authorities.
After a series of hit and run accidents in Mumbai, Pune and Nasik, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has expressed his concern at the alarming rise in the number of such cases in the state. He lamented, “It is intolerable that the powerful and influential misuse their status to manipulate the system. Such miscarriage of justice will not be tolerated by my government”. He has assured that the guilty will not be spared. Shinde said the government accords top priority for welfare of common citizens and directed the police to take hit-and-run cases seriously, ensuring justice for the victims.
It is now the responsibility of the traffic police department to implement the rules and regulations ruthlessly. People do not follow discipline unless they are made to do so.
A Column By
Dilip Chaware – Senior Editor
A media professional for 43 years, with extensive experience of writing on
a variety of subjects; he is also a documentary producer and book author.
