Dimapur traffic police taking road safety message to schools, streets

DIMAPUR — Dimapur police are going beyond enforcing traffic regulations in its endeavour towards curbing fatalities due to road accidents, by taking road safety message to educational institutions and road users on the streets.

“Our job goes beyond regulating traffic and issuing challan to the traffic violators. Persuading the road users to strictly adhere to rules and maintain discipline is the latest addition to our drive and duty”, a police officer on duty told Eastern Mirror.

The traffic police have been engaging in pep talks with school and college students, road users and the public besides spreading awareness on road safety through booklets and pamphlets, as they think that empowering the people with knowledge could give better result in the long run than issuing challan.

The source added that they were concentrating on educating young students about the importance of following traffic rules and road safety, as they can education people around them.

There are less traffic violators today due to awareness campaign, said the traffic police, adding that Dimapur registered less road accidents in 2023, indicating growing awareness among road users and gradual improvement in traffic, especially in Chümoukedima area.

Meanwhile, the police officer lamented that many still continue to use mobile phones while driving, drive without helmets and do not use seat belts.

It may be mentioned that the Dimapur police had earlier issued advisories for motorists and pedestrians, including mandatory use of seat belts for drivers as well as passengers of four-wheelers and wearing of ISI-approved helmets for two-wheelers.

The police went on to warn that action would be taken for traffic violations including driving under influence, use of mobile phones while driving, installation of after-market devices such as, tinted glasses (with VLT of front and rear windshield being less than 70% and that of side windows being less than 50%); bull bars/ crash guards; beacon lights or red/blue LED lights and exhaust pipes, as per The Motor Vehicle Act 1988.