Moa Jamir
Bridge Gap between advisory and action
In November 2022, the Dimapur Commissioner of Police took a decisive step by imposing a speed limit on National Highway-29 and within Dimapur city, aiming to curb the increasing menace of road accidents. Fast forward to November 2023, and the Dimapur Police once again reinstated the speed limit, emphasising that overspeeding remains a primary contributor to road traffic accidents.
The escalation continued with the issuance of a comprehensive set of traffic rules and regulations by the Dimapur Traffic Police on November 29. Mandating the use of seatbelts, penalising driving without protective headgear, and restricting mobile phone usage while driving, among others, the advisory was a stern warning against negligent driving practices.
However, the question looming large is whether these advisories are merely a paper tiger or are they being actively enforced on the ground. Official data provided by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Dimapur to The Morung Express during the National Road Safety Week 2024 (January 11 to 17) revealed a decline in accidents from 725 in 2021 to 557 in 2022, and a further drop to 267 for January-December in 2023.
Despite these positive figures, on February 5, the Commissioner of Police, Dimapur, once again issued traffic advisories in response to reported cases of reckless driving causing accidents and deaths.
As a regular commuter on NH-29 between Chümoukedima and Dimapur city, it becomes evident that the gap between advisory issuance and actual implementation is substantial. Accidents persist, and effective monitoring is seldom conducted and insufficient, apart from the occasional Mobile Vehicle Check Posts (MVCP) primarily set up during VIP movements.
Incidentally, commercial vehicles often face scrutiny at many locations, but the crucial highway stretches lack consistent oversight for other vehicles. Most drivers, unfortunately, flout seatbelt regulations and exceed the prescribed speed limit of 50 km per hour with impunity. The advisories, intended as preventive measures, seem to transform into transient reminders, fading from memory within days.
While applauding the intent behind the advisories, the lack of consistent implementation and monitoring renders them ineffective. Without active measures, the road safety advisories become akin to periodic rituals, failing to instill a lasting impact on the behaviour of road users.
For these advisories to fulfill their purpose, regular monitoring and stringent enforcement are imperative. It is essential to broaden the scope of monitoring beyond occasional check posts and extend it to multiple stretches of the highway. The commitment to road safety should be reflected not only in words but through sustained actions on the ground.
The authorities must bridge the gap between issuing road safety advisories and their actual implementation. Only through consistent monitoring and enforcement can these advisories transform into effective tools for enhancing the safety of both motorists and pedestrians, making the roads genuinely safe. It's time for the authorities to translate their words into actions for a safer and secure road environment.
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