KARACHI: The Karachi traffic police have decided to revise its challan policy and introduce “vehicle-wise traffic fines” to deter people from violating traffic laws as violators are ‘flagrantly’ continuing to disobey rules without any fear of law since present fines are too small, it emerged on Tuesday.

DIG-Traffic Ahmed Nawaz Cheema proposed in a letter to authorities concerned for the upward revision of traffic violation fines and put forward a “vehicle-wise traffic fines” system.

The Sindh police chief has already endorsed the proposal and his office sent it to the provincial home department, from where it will be sent to transport and mass transit department. As per procedure, the provincial assembly have to amend the motor vehicle law to make the upward revision official.

According to the DIG’s letter, a copy of which is provided to Dawn, on average, 3.57 million violators had been booked each year (2019 to 2021) under the existing Motor Vehicles Laws. “Despite a huge number of tickets issued, people indulge in reckless driving causing Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) and more than 500 precious lives lost each year in RTAs on the roads of Karachi alone.”

If accepted, driving wrong way will cost motorcyclists Rs2,000, car and truck drivers Rs3,000 and Rs5,000 compared to current uniform Rs500 fine

In the proposal, the vehicle-wise existing traffic fine of provinces of Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has also been attached to draw difference between the fines imposed in the provinces.

The document showed that for the violation of traffic signals, motorcycles were fined Rs200, Rs300 and Rs200 in Punjab, Balochsitan and KP. Whereas, cars and jeeps are supposed to pay Rs500 in Punjab, Rs400 in Balochistan and Rs1,000 in KP.

Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) and Light Transport Vehicles (LTVs) are fined with Rs1,000 in Punjab, Rs500 in Balochistan and Rs1,000 in KP for violation, and Heavy Transport Vehicles (HTVs) have to pay Rs1,000, Rs500 and Rs1,000 in Punjab, Balochsitan and KP for jumping signal.

However, in Sindh, all vehicles are fined Rs400 for violating traffic signals.

Revision of fines

Fines of Rs500, Rs1,000, Rs1,500 and Rs2,000 have been proposed for motorcycle, car/jeep, PSV/LTV and HTV for the subject violation.

A total of 52 violations, including exceeding speed limit, prohibited overtaking, obstructing movement of emergency vehicles, driving at night without proper lights, wrong side, tinted/covered glass, wrong way, obstructing traffic, riding without helmet, reckless driving, driving without licence, refusal to produce licence, juvenile driving, repeating the violation and not stopping when required by traffic police, have been mentioned for the revision of their fines and their vehicle-wise categorisation.

For exceeding prescribed speed limit, motorcycle has been proposed to be fined Rs700, car/jeep Rs1,000, PSV/LTV Rs1,500 and HTV Rs2,000, which, right now, is Rs400 irrespective of the vehicle.

Rs2,000 fine for motorcycle, Rs3,000 for car/jeep, Rs4,000 for PSV/LTV and Rs5,000 for HTV has been proposed for driving on wrong side. The fine for the violation these days is Rs500.

If found with tinted glass, the vehicle owners are fined with Rs1,000 currently, but it has been proposed to increase that to Rs1,200 for car/jeep, Rs1,500 for PSV/LTV and Rs2,000 for HTV.

The fine for riding bike without wearing safety helmet has been proposed to be increased up to Rs500.

Fine for driving without licence is proposed to be increased to Rs1,000 for motorcycle, Rs1,500 for car/jeep, Rs2,000 for PSV/LTV and Rs2,500 for HTV from the current Rs500.

Speaking to Dawn, DIG Cheema said that this model had been implemented in the rest of the provinces, but Sindh is yet to adopt it.

He said that this would help curb the traffic rules violation, which consequently would help maintain the traffic discipline on the roads of the city.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2022