THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In the context of the increasing number of road accidents, the Transport Department has started moves to introduce a new law called the 'Road Users Act'. The need for the law emerged after studies found pedestrians recklessly crossing roads as the mainspring for many accidental deaths.
Transport Commissioner C. Nagaraju's report says that if pedestrians are involved in crimes related to road accidents, a new law is required for punitive actions. It has been decided to leave the report of the Transport Department for the consideration of the Home Department. The rule will be applied on four-lane roads with dividers and roads with footpaths. At present, fines are levied on the road as per the Motor Vehicle Act but it does not apply to pedestrians.
According to the report, if there is a law called the Road Users Act in the state, fines can be collected from pedestrians for flouting road rules. In some foreign countries, including Dubai, pedestrians are fined if they do not follow the traffic rules. The Motor Vehicle Department wants to emulate it. A preliminary discussion was held between the transport department officials and legal experts in this regard.
Pedestrians crossing the road recklessly can lead to death and even invite fatal accidents putting the lives of drivers and others inside vehicles at risk. The National Highway Authority had to fence the divider to prevent pedestrians from crossing the road at whim.
Imposing fines for pedestrians is not as easy as taking fines from vehicles for traffic breaches. A lucid law is needed in this regard.