Change in the Central Motor Vehicle Act: New Traffic Rule Violation Concerning Children's Safety

NEW DELHI: The Road Transport Ministry has very recently put forward a new draft rule with the aim of safety for children by making changes in the Central Motor Vehicle Act. Driving two wheelers with Children of the age below 4 years as pillion with the speed of more than 40 kmph is now a traffic rule violation.

The proposal also includes that the driver should make sure that if a passenger child pillion is between 9 months and 4 years of age at that case crash helmets and other safety harnesses is a must wear necessity.

The Ministry of Road Transport has provided the draft notification to change and amend the Central Motor Vehicle rules in order to follow the newest change in Central Motor Vehicle Act.

According to the ministry violation of this rule of traffic i.e. Motorcycle with Children as Pillion, without due safety gear can bring trouble with penalties as it will cause a fine of Rupees 1,000 and suspending of the driving license for 3 months.

The draft notification strongly suggests the use of various safety harnesses to protect children by keeping closely attached to the Driver. An adjustable vest needs to be worn by the child attaching with the one who drives the motorcycle with straps joining to the vest and the driver should wear forming shoulder loops. This is a very secure step as it keeps the child's upper central part of the body attached to the driver. The draft notification clearly mentions about the safety ways as it says that two large crossing over loop passing through the legs of passenger can be made to protect the child by attaching the straps with the back of the vest and crossing them over the vest.

The safety equipment along with the gear to protect needs to be durable, lightweight, adjustable and waterproof. It should be made up of material like multi-filament nylon which has high density foam and must have the ability to take weight upto 30 kilo gram.

The enforcement of the new traffic rule will start after discussions and consultations with various stakeholders and it will be issued after a period of one year. Deepanshu Gupta of India Road Safety Campaign and a youth Road Safety Ambassador for the European Commission made statement by saying that it is often seen in roads how children are carried with risk in an unsafe situation and in case of any accident children will be most affected as they don't wear helmets and remains without any protection. They are not properly attached with their parents or the pillion riders. He added that at present we have no rules and regulations for this safety issue of children and the proposed new traffic rule violation will fill the gap in the law by making way for its enforcement.

There is no any accurate data of how many children in India dies of road accident every year because of safety related issues and carelessness while driving. It is a matter of concern for the government as well as for the general public therefore the enforcement of this new traffic rule violation will aware people to some extent to take care of their children while driving. Safety measures as issued by the new draft will lead to less number of accidents faced by children in the country. The parents need to be much careful with attachment their children with themselves with the help of harnesses while driving motorcycle.

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