Hyderabad: There is a significant drop in the number of cases booked against people driving cars in the last three years. However, the cases booked against two-wheeler riders have not come down.
Even the challan penalty payment percentage is better among car owners compared to two-wheeler riders. While people driving cars have paid over 90 per cent of the total challans issued against them in the last two years, the payment percentage of bikers has not crossed 58 per cent during the corresponding period.
Road safety activists, psychologists and traffic police said that compliance is improving among car owners compared to the bikers. There are other factors too for the number of cases against car drivers being lesser than bikers. The population of two-wheelers is four to five times more than cars. The focus of traffic cops is also more on violations by bikers.
“It has to be acknowledged that a majority of those driving cars are definitely more disciplined on roads when compared to two-wheeler riders. Even the number of cases of drunken driving by car drivers is coming down while that of two-wheeler riders has not shown a drop. Techies and other car owners are hiring drivers or cab services if they are planning to consume alcohol,” additional commissioner of Police (Traffic) Jitender said.
Indian federation of road safety’s chief functionary, Vinod Kumar Kanumala said though a substantial number of those driving cars continue to violate traffic rules, it must be acknowledged that they have become more disciplined on the road when compared to bikers.
“Most times it is the car owner who drives the car. Even a small dent to the car will prove costly for repairs. These are among reasons for the positive change among those driving cars,” he said.
Consultant psychologist, Dr S.V. Nagnath said the flexibility of a two-wheeler is also the reason for riders being more erratic compared to car drivers. Unlike cars, a majority of people can drive two-wheelers. The percentage of bikes and scooters being borrowed by friends, neighbours and relatives is more as a majority can drive two wheelers, he said.
