The Traffic police fined errant motorists, who did not allow pedestrians to cross the road safely using the zebra crossing, in the past three weeks.
Metropolitan Traffic Police Division launched the drive to ensure pedestrian safety after roads and even the zebra-crossing gradually turned into a black spot in Kathmandu Valley.
After being hit by a bus on the zebra crossing in Basundhara, Rabina Chaudhary, 19, died on June 5. The driver of the bus, Binay Tamang, was sent to jail on the charge of vehicular homicide. Drivers involved in road accidents near or on zebra crossing are dealt seriously. They may be slapped with up to 10 years of imprisonment depending on the soberness of the case.
DIG Mingmar Lama, in-charge at Metropolitan Traffic Police Division warned, “Rashness and disregard on the part of drivers are equally responsible for the rising number of pedestrian deaths. Pedestrians have found themselves in danger even when they use zebra crossings to cross busy roads. Therefore, such vehicles are under our constant surveillance,” he further added that at over 2,000 error-prone motorists were booked in the past three weeks. The Traffic police fined errant motorists with NPR. 1000 each.
Traffic police have also booked vehicles stopped on zebra-crossings to pick and drop passengers.
A new rule was enforced by the Metropolitan Traffic Police where the jaywalkers were penalized. Later on, the rule to fine jaywalkers was dismissed because of severe criticism and public protest.
According to DIG Lama, zebra-crossing is not a halting point for vehicles, and motorists have to respect it and give priority to pedestrians to cross the roads safely.
Halting vehicles on zebra-crossing blocks the visibility of pedestrians. While traffic police are there to regulate the flow of vehicles near zebra crossings at major intersections, inner roads in Kathmandu Valley lack enforcement of traffic rules.
DIG Lama suggested to the passengers not to cross the road alone and urged them to wait for others and form a group to cross the roads using zebra crossings. Nearly 150 persons are killed in road accidents across the country annually, according to MTPD.
With this new move, we hope it would reduce the rate of road accidents in the Valley. While crossing roads, always use zebra crossing and stay safe.
Reference: The Himalayan Times