The National Road Safety Council member and noted road safety expert Kamal Soi has said that the use of low quality speed governors is on the rise in Kerala, leading to accident fatalities.
Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Mr. Soi said that speed governors without quality certificate, serial and model numbers were being widely used in vehicles in Kerala.
Vehicles fitted with such speed governors were also being issued fitness certificates owing to official’s ignorance about the guidelines on speed governors.
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Mr. Soi accused the State government of consistently failing in the implementation of speed governors, which was critical to road safety. The State transportation department was not keeping a register on the details of speed governors and was in effect certifying unrecognised speed governors.
Fitness certificates were being issued to even those vehicles without physical verification by Regional Transport Offices. Though a letter was sent to the State government pointing out such irregularities in March last and September, no action was forthcoming.
Another letter was sent on April 14, seeking action against companies responsible for manufacturing faulty speed governors. No action was taken on this either, Mr. Soi said. He called for stern action against such companies and asked the State government to shed its apathy towards road safety.
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As per the National Crime Records Bureau, the number of deaths caused by accidents has been increasing in the State. The number had risen from 4,000 in 2014 to 4,196 a year after. Quoting statistics, Mr. Soi said that overspeeding was the primary cause of 40-50 per cent of such casualties.
The Union government opted for stringent implementation of speed governors based on the realisation that overspeeding by heavy vehicles such as buses and trucks caused most of the accidents. Directives had been issued also by the Supreme Court on the matter.