Has the compliance level with traffic rules by motorists gone up in the city. Yes, say the Hyderabad traffic police terming it a welcome change.
Among other violations, signal jumping has come down drastically in the past four years. While 23,187 instances of signal jumping were reported from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. in 2013, the number dipped to 8,884 the next year. The number shrank by nearly half in 2015 and it further reduced in 2016. This data is from the Automatic Red Light Violation Detection (ARLVD) system introduced at several junctions in the city. Imposing fine by issuing challans apart, putting technology to good use has helped reduce signal jumping, says Hyderabad Traffic Police Additional Commissioner Jitender.
Before 2014, the duration of signal cycle at a junction in a particular direction used to be the same both during night and day. If it took 120 seconds for the signal to turn green at a junction during the day, motorists used to get impatient to wait that long at night as the flow of vehicles would be comparatively less.
“Traffic police were not available at the junctions after 10 p.m. Naturally, drivers did not prefer waiting for 120 seconds and hence violated the rule,” said the Additional Commissioner.
The city police introduced Adoptive Traffic Control System at several junctions after 2013.
In this, cameras create virtual loops of vehicles moving in a particular direction based on Vehicle Actuation sensors. If the signal cycle in a direction is 120 seconds and the vehicles move past the signal within 60 seconds, the ATCS changes the signal cycle to 60 seconds or 70 seconds.
“Because of the reduced signal cycle, the signal changes faster and motorists would not jump the signal,” explains Mr. Jitender. However, this facility is not available at all the junctions as of now. But soon, more junctions will have this facility.
