• Source:JND
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The Ministry of Road Transport has proposed to double the fine for breaking traffic rules while travelling with children in order to ensure safety and responsibility, as per a news by The Times of India.

The ministry has also proposed a 'merit and demerit (positive and negative) point system' for all the drivers. It will be based on their compliance with or violation of traffic rules. 

In the 'merit and demerit system', the drivers accumulating threshold demrit points will face risk of suspension and cancellation of their driving licences. The proposed changes also stipulate linking insurance premium to behaviour of drivers. It will be reflected through positive and negative points.

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The proposed changes will be incorporated after amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act. The ministry as circulated the proposed changes among other ministries seeking feedback.

TOI quoted sources saying that the proposal of doubling fine has been made considering the rising non-compliance of rules by parents, other family members, school buses while driving with children. The higher penalty would deter both drivers and vehicle owners and would set their responsibility.

The proposal has, however, met with skepticism from a section of road safety experts who feel that it may end up only as a "better" legislative measure and would eventually become another avenue for corruption, if not implemented objectively.

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The aforementioned media portal quoted an expert saying, "Even now traffic cops catch and penalise drivers only for half a dozen offences such as speeding, drunk driving, jumping red signal, using phone and not wearing seatbelt or helmet, while the MV law covers over 100 offences. How will cameras installed identify if a juvenile is sitting in the rear seat of a car and will police personnel stop vehicles and check the age of people sitting inside? While framing laws and policies we don't think of India but Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and big cities."