New Traffic Rules : Not just heavy fine but you will lose driving licence too

If a traffic policeman catches you for talking on your mobile phone while driving, be ready to shell out a heavy fine. And in extreme cases, you can lose your driving licence too.

This is what the S. Sundar committee report recommends. The report was submitted to the Union road transport ministry on Wednesday. Recommending complete revamping of the existing motor vehicles Act, it says stringent fines for traffic offences should be implemented along with a system of penalty points.

The penalty points have been suggested for several violations. If 12 points accumulate against a person, his licence will be suspended for five years.

Among the new suggested amendments are: No one below 18 years should be allowed to drive a vehicle; when a person buys a new car he should produce a proof of parking space available for it; and mandatory third- party insurance at the time of registration. The report, pending approval of the government, says those given the licence to drive public transport vehicles should get fixed- hour jobs so that they don’t get fatigued and run over people on the roads.

It also recommends that from 2015 onwards all vehicles should renew their registrations annually. Road transport minister C. P. Joshi said his ministry would try to introduce the recommendations in the Budget session of Parliament.