Awareness drive on seat belts launched

Messages will be displayed on the variable me­ssage sign (VMS) bo­ar­ds across the city from Thursday and there are also plans to conduct an aw­areness rally next we­ek, said Karuna Sa­gar, additional commissioner of police (traffic).

“For now, we are focusi­ng on the awareness dr­i­ve by asking our personn­el to distribute pamph­l­ets, hold placards and of­f­er tips verbally to drive­rs. A­fter a week, we will st­­­art enforcement with a fine of Rs 100 for first-time of­f­enders and Rs 300 for re­p­eat offenders,” he added.

The seat belt rule had always been there, “but we just wanted to revive the safety awareness am­ong people,” said a senior traffic official. “We have also planned to have a drive among call taxi drivers as they ply the city roads the most these days. According to statistics, of the 17 fatalities this year, 11 were of those in the driver’s seat.”

On Wednesday, in the Kil­pauk range, traffic pe­r­sonnel along with stud­e­nts of Kerala Vidya­lay­am distributed pamphlets and advised people to we­ar seat belts. “We thought that this would be a good move to create awareness among the people and it was well received as exp­ected. It is also good for students as they grow up to learn about road safety,” said Alexander, range inspector, Kilpauk.

The city traffic police’s primary aim is to en­sure the safety of those on the road, penalising is only se­condary, another senior official said, exp­l­a­­in­ing why the traffic po­l­ice was all of a sudden em­ba­rked on a drive to create aw­areness about a rule th­at always existed.