After the death of Tata Sons’ former Chairman Cyrus Mistry in a road accident, there has been a special focus on what measures can be taken to prevent road accidents in India. From over-speeding to drunk driving, road accidents have been on a continuous rise. As per the report ‘Road accidents in India — 2020,’ over 11 percent of deaths and injuries were caused due to non-usage of seat belts, while 30.1 percent of deaths and 26 percent of injuries were caused due to non-usage of helmets 2020. Hence, as a result, the government has improved and implemented Motor Vehicles ACT 1998 to ensure safety and reduce road accidents which drivers must know.
Here are five new rules that Indian drivers must know before hitting the Indian roads with their vehicles:
1. Riders can be fined even after wearing helmets:
As per the latest update, fines can be imposed on two-wheeler riders who wear helmets improperly. The helmet should be properly worn and its strap also needs to be tied. If the helmet is untied then the rider will have to bear the fine of Rs 1,000. According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), all helmets must have an ISI mark. Wearing and selling helmets without an ISI mark is a legal offense. A transparent cover for the eyes should be used in the helmet. It is also very important for the helmet to have a BIS certificate. If you are caught using an illegal helmet and fail to comply with any of the instructions, your helmet may be confiscated.
2. Fine of Rs 1,000 if children are not wearing helmets:
Children must wear a helmet: Children below the age of four must wear a helmet and riders must use harness belts for them as a safety precaution. The rider should maintain the speed limit to 40 kmph while driving with children on two-wheelers. If any rider is found violating these rules, then a fine of Rs 1,000 will be charged followed by suspension of driving license for three months.
3. Fine of Rs 20,000 to be imposed for overloading vehicle:
The latest update also includes a huge fine of Rs 20,000 for overloading a two-wheeler. Riders will be further asked to bear the additional fine of Rs 2,000 per tonne.
4. States to issue uniform International Driving Permit:
MoRTH has introduced the same format across all states for International Driving Permit (IDP) where the document will be issued in the form of a booklet. The IDP is valid in 102 countries, and this format is expected to help resolve issued faced by Indians in other countries regarding verification.
5. Driving licence to be linked with IDP with QR code:
With the commencement of new format, a QR will be introduced in the booklet which will have all the required data related to the driver. Through this, verification of the driver will get easy.