The Kerala High Court has ruled that vehicles carrying LPG cylinders should be fitted with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) as prescribed by the Central Motor Vehicle Rules.
Justice Shaji P. Chaly made the ruling while dismissing a batch of writ petitions filed by owners challenging the refusal of the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) to renew the fitness certificate of their vehicles on the ground that the vehicles did not have ABS.
The court observed that rules 96, 96A and 126 A were brought with a laudable objective of ensuring safety on public road by employing advanced braking system on vehicles transporting hazardous goods and LPG. Such braking system was a necessary requirement of the day, especially in view of the present road conditions of the country and the State.
In fact, the roads were not broad enough to contain such vehicles. That apart, many of the curves, bridges, and culverts were unscientifically constructed. The roads were not provided completely with medians, as a result of which, chances of accidents by head on collusion were on the higher side. Under these circumstances, the stipulations in the rules should be strictly implemented, the court observed.
The MVD contended that ABS was a safety system which prevented the wheels of a motor vehicle from locking up while braking. Therefore, it offered improved vehicle control and decreases stopping distance on dry and especially slippery surface. The primary benefit of it was to increase the ability of the driver to maintain control of the vehicle.
Court says rules
are brought in
with the aim of
ensuring safety on public road.
