Dear Editor,
It is a worrisome issue to see daily dangerous accidents happening on the roads both in cities and highways causing deaths and injuries due to dangerous driving. Some drive recklessly on a road or other public place without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road or place. Driving without due care and attention means driving in a way that falls below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver, while driving without reasonable consideration for other persons requires those persons to be unconvinced by dangerous driving.
It is very astonishing to observe the two wheeler and light vehicle drivers driving in congested city roads without taking any precaution. It becomes totally impossible for pedestrians especially children and senior citizens to walk safely on roads. Many times the bikers are seen racing, going too fast, driving aggressively ignoring traffic lights, road signs overtaking dangerously and of course some driving under influence of liquor and drugs they often feel sleepy with the result these dangerous accidents happen. Most of the drivers have seen using mobile phones with out caring for others safety and life. Some even goes to the extend of lighting cigarettes and change CDs or tune the radio fitted inside their vehicles while driving. This menace is on increase day by day.What is worrisome is that inspite of many programmes of traffic awareness launched by Traffic Department and police there seems very less effect on the vehicle drivers on the ground. No driver is seen observing basic laws of safe driving. It seems that Jammu roads are totally unsafe for pedestrians.
While on highway the condition is also not good as rash driving, overtaking and driving under the influence of liquor especially during night hours without using dippers of vehicles and causing dangerous accidents is seen thus many precious lives are lost bringing miseries to the relatives of the deceased.
It is high time the administration especially Traffic Department should act more stringently against the defaulters bringing in more stringent laws for violation of traffic rules in the public interest so that the menace of this careless and dangerous driving on roads can be controlled and there be a sigh of relief to the pedestrians.
Kaushal Kotwal,
Jammu.