Haryana to make driving licence system tougher

CHANDIGARH - Concerned at the rising number of accidents and deaths on its roads, Haryana Saturday announced a stricter licensing system to ensure that more skilled drivers are behind the wheel.

“The new licensing system will raise the bar through standardised theoretical and practical tests and prepare an all-embracing and easy-to-access manual for the drivers,” Home Secretary Krishna Mohan said Saturday.

About 4,500 people are killed in Haryana in road accidents every year. In 2008, the state had 3,087,000 registered vehicles and 11,241 cases of road accidents.

In 2009, 11,294 accidents were reported, of which 4,213 were fatal. Up to July 31 this year, 6,344 accidents, including 2,294 fatal ones, were reported.

Krishna Mohan said that the government planned to upgrade the existing computer-based objective knowledge test for drivers.

“The software being used now to test a candidate’s knowledge is very basic. One is made to answer only 10 questions and those answering any six are declared passed. This system is being upgraded by centralising the database of applicants and their test history,” he said.

“The license-seekers will now have to answer 30 questions and the pass percentage will be raised to 80. Biometrics will be pressed to use to prevent impersonation and video-recording will be done to prevent the use of unfair means,” he added.

The new system would be touch-screen compatible and bilingual, both in Hindi and English. The hosting would be done on the Haryana Police server.

“The easy-to-understand driver’s manual would cover all important aspects of road safety. These include: safe and responsible driving, right of way rules, driving manouevres, sharing road with other users, traffic signs and markings, road signs, road markings, hand signals and other rules and regulations,” he added.

“With better road network, increased mobility and faster vehicles, the number of road accidents and deaths may increase but this level of road deaths and injuries is unacceptable, and to a large extent, avoidable. We feel the need to take urgent and appropriate steps to reduce this loss,” the home secretary said.

Busy national highways (NH) like NH-1 (Ambala-Delhi), NH-8 (Delhi-Jaipur) and NH-10 (Hisar-Delhi) pass through the state.