From ignoring seat belts to jaywalking, reckless autorickshaws to haphazard parking, road safety has mostly remained neglected in Patna.

As the country observes N ational Road Safety Week from Januray 10 to 17, Piyush Kumar Tripathi lists how a little administrative interest, and good planning and execution can ensure a safer Patna.

UNCHECKED SEAT BELTS

Rule: The violation of provisions of rule 138(3), which talks about norms for wearing seat belts is an offence punishable under Section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, with a fine of Rs 100 for the first offence and up to Rs 300 for the second and subsequent offences.

Reality: Patna is among very few cities where drivers in four-wheelers are seldom seen wearing seat belts. Studies have proved that in case of a crash, a person is twice as likely to die if not wearing a seat belt.

Reason: Patna traffic police seldom act against drivers not wearing seat belts.

Officialspeak: "According to directives of the district magistrate, the focus during road safety week would be on seat belts and autorickshaws," said Patna traffic superintendent of police (SP) P.K. Das

JAYWALKING

Rule: There is no fine mentioned for jaywalking ignoring traffic directives like zebra crossing in the Motor Vehicles Act but authorities in cities like Bangalore have imposed a fine of Rs 100-200 for this act.

Reality: Most people do not even know that jaywalking is an offence. Now that traffic signals have started functioning, people stop their vehicles on the zebra crossing, when they should remain behind the stop line. "Streets are not people's garden where they can wander around carelessly. But what can they do when the authorities have not been able to do anything about loitering cattle on the streets?" said Ashok Ghosh, senior faculty at AN College.

Reason: Absence of footpaths and faded zebra crossings.

Officialspeak: "There are a few issues related to marking of zebra crossings at some places and we have apprised the road construction department about it. Besides, there is a problem of manpower crunch as well," said Das.

MOB> LE MENACE

Rule: Penalty of Rs 1,000 under the Motor Vehicles Act

Reality: Both two- and four-wheeler drivers talk on cellphones while driving or riding. While bikers often put the handset inside their helmet, car drivers hardly use the hands-free set while driving.

Reason: Traffic police hardly crack down on cellphone usage while driving.

Officialspeak: "We have launched drives against cellphone usage in the past as well and it would continue in the future too," said Das.

NO LANE DISCIPLINE

Rule: Penalty can be imposed under Section 190 of the Motor Vehicles Act (clause 119), where the traffic police can fine up to Rs 100. Traffic SP P.K. Das had also announced to enforcement of lane driving on December 17 but it could not be implemented.

Reality: The concept of lane discipline is alien to drivers in Patna. The chaos owing to lane indiscipline is evident at traffic intersections where vehicles move in a zigzag pattern on getting a green signal. People hardly use indicators.

Reason: Police have hardly conducted drives for lane discipline and they keep giving excuses of manpower crunch.

Officialspeak: "We are trying to implement it on Bailey Road first and gradually it would be followed at other places," said Das.

ERRANT AUTOS

Rule: Passengers are not supposed to sit next to the driver. If the driver is found violating the rule, a fine of Rs 100 is imposed under the Motor Vehicles Act.

Reality: People, including police constables, can be seen seated beside the driver on the front seat. Many rickshaws, especially six-seaters running in the fringes of the city, are driven by underage drivers who don't have licences.

Reason: Drives against overloaded autorickshaws have been extremely rare in the city though the cops have ensured lights inside them.

Officialspeak: "As said earlier, the focus during road safety week is on reckless autorickshaws," said Das.

HAPHAZARD PARKING

Rule: Section 122 of the Motor Vehicles Act talks about offence related to dangerous parking of vehicles. Section 201 of the same act talks about the corresponding penalty, which envisages fine to the tune of Rs 50 per hour for badly parked vehicle obstructing normal traffic.

Reality: Call it administrative failure or lack of civic sense among motorists, haphazard parking is a common sight on most thoroughfares. There is no organised parking system on any of the streets in the city.

Reason: Most market areas in the city don't have parking lots for visitors, which force residents to park their vehicles on adjoining roads.

Officialspeak: "Regular drives are conducted against haphazardly parked vehicles," said Das.