Morung Express News
September 20
Kohima: Although the State Government has already issued notification for compulsory wearing of seat belts, use of red reflectors on the rear of vehicles and use of dipper at night, much desires to be done in actual practice by motorists and drivers.
“Study shows that most of the accidents are cause by human error due to not practicing the road safety aspects and only negligible numbers of accidents are attributed to mechanical failure,” said Additional Transport commissioner T Meren Paul in a note of compulsory road safety measure which was prepared at the recently concluded National Road Safety Council meeting at New Delhi.
The council has also taken a very serious view of the casual attitude of the enforcement agency of the state government in implementing the road safety measures.
Regarding compulsory wearing of seat belts, Rule 138 (3) of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989 requires that, in a motor vehicle, in which seat belts have been provided, it shall be ensured that the driver and the person seated in the front seat wear the seat belts while the vehicle is in motion. All motor vehicles including trailers and semi-trailers other than three wheelers of engine capacity not exceeding 500cc and motor cycles shall be fitted with two red reflectors, one each on both sides at the rear having a reflecting area of not less than 28.5 squire cm. Every motor cycle has to be fitted with one red reflex reflector at the rear having the reflecting area of not less than 7 sq.cm.
Every good carriage vehicle including trailers and semi trailers other than three wheeler of engine capacity not exceeding 500 cc shall be fitted with two white reflector one each at the extreme right and left bottom corners in the front of the vehicle and facing to the front. The reflecting area of each reflector shall not be less than 20.5. sq cm in the case of vehicle with overall length of more than 6 meters, and not less than 7 sq.cm in case of other vehicles.
The release also stated that no red lights are permitted in the front of side of a vehicle and no white lights are permitted in the rear side of a vehicle so as to distinguish front and rear side of vehicles. It helps in identifying whether the vehicle ahead is approaching from opposite direction or moving ahead in the same direction. In the same manner use of red reflectors in the rear and white reflectors in the front helps identifying front or rear of parked vehicles at night.
Deflection of lights (Use of dipper) Rules 106 (I) of Central Motor Vehicles Rule, 1989, requires that the beam of light emitted from the head lamps is deflected downwards so as not to confuse/dazzle any person whose eye position is at a distance of 8 meters from the front of the lamp. It is capable of being deflected downwards by the driver in as to render it incapable of dazzling any person in the circumstances aforesaid; is capable of being extinguished by the operation of the devise which at the same time causes a beam of light to be emitted from the lamp complying with the provision of clause (a) and is capable of being extinguished by the operation of a device which at the same time either deflects the beams of light from another lamp downwards or both downwards and to the left in such manner as to render it incapable of dazzling any person in the circumstances aforesaid, or brings into or leaves in operation a lamp which complies with the provisions of clause(a).
The release also asked the drivers and motorists to practice the use of dippers at night “not only as a courtesy to the vehicle coming from opposite direction but on compulsion as a mandatory respect of the law.”
“Every road use has a right of way and right of road safety. Therefore every road use should remember that one should jot peril other road use,” it said.
Let us cultivate Road Safety discipline as our driving habit and make our road safe for all road users, the release added.
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