Vehicle owners get extension to pay penalties
In a breather to motorists, the transport department has announced extension of the date of waiver on penalty amounts of vehicles.
The State Transport Authority (STA) cracking the whip against those riding two-wheelers without wearing helmets collected over Rs. 55.14 crore fine in 2021-22 fiscal, Transport Minister Tukuni Sahu informed the State Assembly on Thursday.
It has been observed that out of the accidents taking place on State and National highways, many of the accident victims are found to be two-wheeler riders. Due to continuous enforcement activities people are using helmets in the urban areas but are unfortunately avoiding wearing helmets on highways where protection is much more needed, said an official of Transport, Enforcement amf Road Safety
Helmetless driving is a major cause of road accidents and grievous injury across Odisha. As many as 1,308 persons, including riders (868) and pillion riders (440) of motorised two-wheelers, were killed in road accidents in 2021. Most of them were not wearing helmets. A total of 1.280 persons were grievously injured and 747 had minor injuries in accidents involving two wheelers.
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Meanwhile, the Transport Department in joint coordination with police personnel has decided to relaunch a drive against Motor Vehicle Act violators from Thursday. There will be zero tolerance for violation of traffic and Motor Vehicle rules. Enforcement drives will include drunken driving, helmet checking, and vehicle fitness including school buses and overloading of vehicles, said officials.
Besides helmet-less riding and over-speeding, drunken driving, use of mobile phones by driving while driving, unregulated vehicular traffic, the violation of road safety norms and unauthorized roadside parking have all contributed to the rise in the mishaps and fatalities, they added.
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