KOCHI: The district administration proposes to take the lead in forming a social networking group of responsible drivers drawn from among super bike owners to promote safe and disciplined driving culture.
This is the latest among a slew of measures being adopted by the district administration to rein in hot-headed young super bike riders found wreaking havoc on city roads time and again.
“The social networking platform will be a reality in a couple of months. The move is based on the realisation that not all super bike users are impetuous and guilty of rash and negligent driving. So, we have decided to mobilise them and make them partners in awareness campaigns aimed at building a safe and responsible driving culture,” District Collector K. Mohammed Y. Safirulla told The Hindu .
Mr. Safirulla has already asked super bike dealers to make pre-sale training for potential buyers mandatory. It should be imparted by vehicle dealers in the presence of Motor Vehicle Inspectors and traffic police officials.
“We also plan to hold interactions with victims of accidents and those responsible for them a part of the training in order to drive home the message as to how negligence of riders for momentary thrills can turn the lives of both victims and perpetrators for the worse,” Mr. Safirulla said.
Meanwhile, dealers have been given time till January-end to conduct training for their existing customers, and the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) have launched the initial training sessions.
The three-hour training has three components — classes on trauma care by a medical expert; technical detailing by the dealer representative, and rules and regulations in the Motor Vehicle Act by MVD officials, said Motor Vehicle Inspector Manoj Kumar G.
“Dealers have been asked to fetch the database of their customers to complete the training in a time-bound manner. They will have to organise the training sessions and bear expenses,” Mr. Kumar said.
The MVD plans to issue certificates undersigned by the Regional Transport Officer and the Traffic Assistant Commissioner of Police to those who attend the training programme.
The department also plans to introduce badge system by the end of January to put super bike users on the leash. The photo-affixed badges will have to be affixed on super bikes to identify the owner.
“Very often accidents involving super bikes are not caused by owners but their acquaintances with hardly any knowledge of handling the vehicles, but who nevertheless borrow the machines lured by the excitement of riding them. If such accidents happen in future, the owners will be held equally responsible,” Motor Vehicle Inspector B. Shefiq said.
