IRF urges stricter enforcement of vehicles carrying protruding cargo

The International Road Federation (IRF) has called for stricter enforcement of Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR) and the Supreme Court order which banned vehicles in India from carrying rods, pipes or any protruding material beyond the body frame of the vehicle.

The Geneva-based NPO, has stated the recent death of the AIIMS doctors could have been prevented if the truck carrying pipes was stopped from ferrying on the Yamuna Expressway.

“Despite a blanket ban on carrying of protruding and dangerous materials beyond the body frame, various vehicles including trucks, tractors and animal-pulled carts, are openly flouting rules on both National as well as State highways under the nose of concerned authorities,” said K K Kapila, chairman, International  Road Federation (IRF) .

“The precious lives of AIIMS doctors who were killed in fatal road accident on Yamuna Expressway recently could have been saved if the ban on vehicles carrying bars and pipes beyond the body frame had been strictly enforced. The mini truck, which crashed into the victims vehicles, was illegally carrying protruding material beyond the body frame,” added Kapila.

“India has a dubious reputation of having the highest number of road accidents in the world. The nation accounts for about 10 percent of road crash fatalities worldwide. Thousands of motorists die every year in accidents caused by trucks and other vehicles parked recklessly on highways, many with iron rods protruding from their body frames. Strict enforcement of this law  by both central and state authorities will make sure that such materials carried in a truck or trailer remains within the length of the vehicle or trailer. An awareness campaign also needs to be run to educate truckers and consignees,” concluded Kapila.

Also read: 1,317 accidents and 413 deaths on 413 deaths on Indian roads each day in 2016