Is speed governor the cure for road accidents?

[CaAT]

Read the news in today's Indian Express about government making it mandatory to fit speed governors on all vehicles (old and new) to curb increasing road accidents.

Excerpts :

In a bid to check road accidents, the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways is planning to make it mandatory for all vehicles, including personal cars, to be equipped with speed governors and fog lights. On the other hand, it is set to increase the maximum speed limits for all vehicles.

The changes have been proposed in the Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill which is scheduled to be tabled in Parliament in the Monsoon Session. The parliamentary standing committee has already given its approval.

Before the Bill is passed, the ministry will notify revised speed limits for all vehicle categories. For cars, the maximum speed limit will be 100 kmph on expressways, 80 kmph on four or six-laned highways, 60 kmph on two-laned highways and 50 kmph in major district roads and urban arterials.

Link

Your thoughts?

[VJ_MAVRICK]

Might be a way to curb accidents but am unsure when will this be implemented. I dont like being speed governed even though i aint a speedy guy. These better be in the cabs and buses. Still i feel implementation will be a problem.

[Bass&Trouble]

Does this mean that cabs and autos will now have to stand still?

[amtak]

I don't understand why this?

[appuchan]

Wow, a good idea to stop accidents! In fact the speed will need to be gradually reduced to almost walking speed (3 kmph) over a period and they will still find vehicles ramming into each other.

After that it will be pure bliss, working/traveling... etc from home. We will be back to the era of using horses, elephants and camels for transport . And each of those animals will have speed governing belts around their legs!

[eclectix 1st]

Our beloved Govt should first start Enforcing the existing rules. Maybe if they do that, there wont be any need of Implementing new rules.

If they seriously start regulating & enforcing rules like

• Lane discipline
• Signaling
• Usage of Hi-Beam headlights in the city
• DUI (with proper breadth analysers and legal limits)
• Pollution (half the trucks and Govt buses will get off the streets )

most of the problems will cease to exist.

[CaAT]

Our beloved Govt should first start enforcing the existing rules.

Exactly, my point.

The speed governor thing is a remedy worse than the disease itself. I also wonder how the auto industry would react to a regulation like this.

Any other countries where they have such devices fitted in vehicles for personal use?

[Maverick1977]

Speed Governors have been installed in the past by a few manufacturers, Tata Sumo used to have one. However most of these used to be removed by their owners even before the 1st service. Also the biggest disadvantage was that the Governor used to kick-in & put the engine to sleep right when you were overtaking an extremely long trailer on the highway. Also how will the officials check if its been installed or not or for that matter its even functioning or not.
This could be another gimmick of letting a particular co. make a fast buck. Sad...very sad

[tsk1979]

A 100kmph governer will not prevent 100kmph driving on narrow roads, and you will still have accidents.
this is the govt taking the easy way out.
As for trucks at 80kmph, its laughable.
Most trucks go at 40-50kmph on expressways due to overloading, and sometimes drive on wrong side of the road.
I wonder how will a governor help that.
And what about CBU cars.

[benbsb29]

LOL !! Another smart guy bureaucrat, actually putting his brains to some strain by coming up with this?!

[reignofchaos]

Speed governors on personal cars is a complete LOL. Are they retarded or what. Imagine a BMW M3 or an EVO limited to 100kph .

[madan80]

like with everythign - the governer will be present- but it intenally, it will be defunct. how are they going to check speeind witha governer?

[mjothi]

This is just to help selling the remaining units the company produced
So, 100KMPH on a express way will make sure that no accidents are happening?
Possibly they are mistaken with rash driving with over speeding.

[VJ_MAVRICK]

On a lighter note car companies can advertise that their cars are fully loaded now and can avail the NUMERO UNO facility "Speed Governor installed" and then the admakers make the ads picking up SRK or so saying "Maine Chalaya yeh Gaadi, jismey Speed Governor hain..Kya aapney chalayaaa ? (sorry Dippy bhai no offence only light hearted joke)

[KMT]

We are not used to respecting road rules in India.
Even monkeys & donkeys can get a Drivers Lic...I have seen them driving numerous lorries and busses!!!!
For our level of rules just Ambys and Fiats are OK.
I reckon speed restrictions are the only way in the short term.

A more sensible option is for the Govt to make everyone undergo driving lessons again and apply for new DLs.....thus addressing the problem through education.

It takes just a one dumb guy to stuff up someone elses life in an accident...so now all of us who adhere to rules now have to pay by driving at 40kph....