Sir,

Overloading is a safety hazard that leads to unnecessary loss of life and also the rapid deterioration of roads. An overloaded vehicle threatens road safety and contributes many of the fatal accidents. It not only put the driver’s life at risk but also passengers and other people on road.

Overloaded vehicles, especially freight vehicles are destroying the roads; the damage caused grows exponentially as a result the cost of repairing and maintenance increases and the cost has to be borne by the public.

It also poses the following risks.

• Overloaded vehicles can causes the tyres to overheat which rapidly increase the chance of premature, dangerous and expensive failure or blow-out.
• At night, the headlight of an overloaded vehicle will tilt up, blinding on coming drivers to possible debris.
• The overloaded vehicle cannot accelerate as normal.
• Overloaded vehicle can turn anywhere which can increase the risk of life.
• Overloaded vehicle not only causes damage to the roads but they also lead to accidents on the highways and in the cities

Bihar has recorded maximum increase in total number of roads accidents among all states in the country. According to a data recently shared by various state governments with Supreme Court –appointed panel on road safety, Bihar registered an increase of 378 road death in 2017.

In 2012 the Supreme Court ruling on school cabs mandated that a van can carry students only one and half times more than the seating capacity in case they are less than 12 years in age. This means that unlike that usual 14students crammed in a school van, it should ideally seat a maximum of 10 students. The speed limit should not extend more than 40kmph. But hardly any school or private vehicle services follow the norm.

Overloaded buses and autos have triggered much ugly mishap on city roads, but drivers still refuse to learn their lesson even the hard way. The lives of thousands of school children travelling to and from the school in overcrowded auto rickshaws and vans every day is dangerous, but no one cares.

The Regional transport office (RTO) need to keep a check on the overloaded trucks, vehicles, operating without fitness certificate, without permits and several school vans and autos. So, there is urgent need to stop the malpractice in interest of safety.

Yours truly,

Nihal Kumar Dutta

  letters, Patna