Chandigarh: Speeding challans up by 49% this year

Speeding remained the most common traffic violation in 2021, as per data compiled by the UT traffic police; till December 26, 64,119 challans have been issued for the offence, a nearly two-fold increase from 2020, when 32,497 were issued

Speeding remained the most common traffic violation in 2021, as per data compiled by the UT traffic police. Till December 26, 64,119 challans have been issued for the offence, a nearly two-fold increase from 2020, when 32,497 were issued. The number is also the highest since 2014.

As per data available with the Chandigarh traffic police, 64,119 challans for speeding have been issued till December 26 in 2021. (HT file)

For speeding, traffic violation information slip (TVIS) or e-challans are issued. This was started in May 2020, when the traffic police first acquired three automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) systems, which clicked pictures of the speeding vehicle and detected their speed. Due to this, the number of speeding challans in 2020 saw a sharp spike compared to 8,814 in 2019.

Member of the National Road Safety Council, Kamaljeet Soi said, “The uptick indicates that the cops are vigilant, which should be appreciated. Speeding is the leading cause of road fatalities, so offenders must be penalised.”

Senior superintendent of police (SSP, traffic) Manisha Choudhary, added, “ We have gotten simplified speed limits notified for the benefit of road users and the speed signs have been installed on all major roads. We have been regularly conducting road safety programmes in educational institutes and for the general public. We are also in the process of procuring three night-vision speed radars.”

On single carriageway roads (roads without dividers), the speed limit is 50km/h for light motor vehicles, 40km/h for medium and heavy passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles and 40 km/h for two-wheelers and three-wheelers. On Sector roads the speed limit is 40km/h for all vehicles.

In total 2,29764 challans were issued this year, higher than 1,76,619 in 2020, which was expected as in view of the Covid lockdown in 2020. Also, the data indicates that residents have now become more mindful of not stopping on the zebra crossing at red light intersections. In 2021, 38,095 challans were issued for this, against 55,255 in 2020. People have also started wearing helmets more often now and 13,955 challans were issued to two-wheeler riders for not wearing a helmet in 2021, against 19,739 in 2020 and a whopping 68,622 in 2019.

List of major traffic offences

In total, 2,29,764 challans for traffic violations were issued in 2021 till December 26.

Speeding: 64,119

Zebra crossing infractions:38,095

Jumping red light: 2021- 4,090

Underage driving: 29

Wrong parking: 19,963

Helmetless riding: 13,955

Driving without seat-belt: 14,685