Every day, Karthika Bipin, a regular two-wheeler commuter, rides her scooter through Thiruvananthapuram city’s busy roads, hoping for a safe journey. Sharing the road with speeding private buses and tipper lorries has become the most stressful part of her daily commute, she said.

“Private bus and dumper truck drivers are the worst offenders. They show scant regard for the safety of two-wheeler riders, especially women,” she said. 

Ms. Bipin recalls an incident that still frightens her. “I was riding with my six-year-old sister on the back of my scooter when a private bus came just inches away from us, continuously honking and forcing me to move aside. I was not just responsible for my own safety but also for a small child. No one should be made to feel that way on the road.”

Against women

Ms. Bipin also said she has often heard drivers and conductors make dismissive remarks about women riders. “The idea that women are bad drivers is unfair and only encourages reckless behaviour towards us.”

Aswath M. Krishna, another city commuter, feels aggressive driving is becoming increasingly common and imperilling road safety. “Drivers of large SUVs often closely pursue smaller vehicles and repeatedly flash their headlights until the vehicle ahead moves aside. It creates a feeling that the road belongs to them and other motorists are to be bullied out of their path,” he said. 

According to him, truck drivers on highways often fail to dim their headlights at night, making it difficult for oncoming motorists to see clearly. Within the city, he said, heavy vehicles frequently add to traffic congestion and leave very little space for smaller vehicles.

City taxi driver Satheesh, who spends most of his day on the road, said private buses and dumper trucks often drive aggressively.

Maintenance costs

“They dangerously close up on smaller vehicles, honk continuously and sometimes overtake from the left, forcing us to move aside to avoid accidents,” he said. Mr. Satheesh believes weak enforcement encourages such behaviour. He added that frequent sudden braking and heavy traffic also increase fuel consumption and vehicle maintenance costs, thereby reducing taxi drivers’ earnings.

Road safety experts, however, said the issue is not limited to heavy vehicles.

Arun Chandran, Principal Scientist, Traffic Engineering and Safety Division, Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC), said all motorists must strictly follow speed limits, particularly near schools, hospitals, bus stops and junctions. He said while speed limits have been fixed for different roads, effective enforcement remains a challenge despite the availability of speed detection cameras and interceptors. Proper speed limit signboards are equally important, he added, as their absence often becomes an issue during legal proceedings.

Mr. Chandran also said that commercial vehicles must undergo mandatory annual fitness tests to ensure that tyres, windscreen wipers, brake lights and tail lamps are in proper working condition.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic South) Suresh Kumar said speed radar cameras are functioning across the city to detect overspeeding, and action is taken against offenders. Heavy vehicles are prohibited from entering the city between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to reduce congestion and improve road safety. Violators are liable to pay fines starting at ₹2,000. He said the restrictions are enforced to ensure smoother traffic movement during peak hours, particularly when schoolchildren and office-goers are on the roads. He added that action is taken against traffic violations as and when they are detected, and motorists are urged to follow traffic rules to ensure the safety of all road users.

Even as authorities point to existing enforcement measures, commuters said stricter enforcement and better road discipline are needed to make city roads safer, especially for two-wheeler riders, who make up a significant share of urban commuters. 

The writer, Malavika Devi J.R., is an intern with The Hindu, Thiruvananthapuram.