Trichy: A novel method opted by a traffic police inspector in Trichy city to sensitise erring two-wheeler riders and pedestrians violating the traffic rules are winning the praise of road safety activists. Apart from penalising the violators for their respective offences, the traffic inspector conducts a small awareness session near the road by involving the violators so as to prevent them from repeating the same offence.
S Mathivanan, the inspector attached to Fort range in Trichy city responsible for overseeing traffic movement in Chathiram bus stand, Melachinthamani, Sasthri road and Chennai bypass said he opted for the awareness speech as a tool to make people realise the severity of their offence.
On spotting youths riding triples in two-wheeler and those riding without helmets, the inspector moves them to vacant space adjacent to the road and sensitises them on the Motor Vehicles Act. Similarly, on being informed about youngsters waiting to avail driving license at the RTO campuses, the inspector volunteers to meet them and convey the importance of good samaritan law to help people injured in accidents.
“People who help injured road users will not be asked to report as a witness. They can help the injured without any reservation,” Mathivanan tells the youths who obtained a driving license. At the Anna statue, the inspector utilises a temporary shelter to educate pedestrians without facemask.
“If the commuter has an emergency work, I will only penalise. Others will be sensitised for 10 to 15 minutes about the road safety protocols. Mostly, there will be no recurrence of an offence by the same violator,” Mathivanan told TOI. Two-wheelers violating one-way routes and youngsters riding without a valid driving license were among those who were lectured. Mathivanan uses the public address system in the traffic signals to build road safety and Covid-19 awareness among the commuters waiting in the signals.