Drivers and riders in India seem to blatantly ignore traffic regulations. What can the law makers do to curb the number of road accidents if these rules are not followed?

One of the deadliest of them all is riding / driving on the wrong side. There is a reason driving sides were invented. But, most of us think that we are smarter than the system and in order to save on some time and fuel, go on the wrong side so that we do not have to go that extra 100-200 meters. We all remember the recent video where a Royal Enfield rider had a lucky escape.

Again, it was due to wrong side driving. Until now, there has been no solution in sight to stop these drivers / riders. But, last week, Pune presented a solution, by installing tyre killer. In Amanora Park Town, Pune, Tyre killers have been installed. This metal strip is nailed on to the road. It allows vehicles to pass only from one side. If someone tries to take their car or bike from the wrong side, it will kill the tyre. See the video below to understand how it works.

But, those who were supporting this, their joy has been cut short. Pune Police ordered the removal of these tyre killers. They have now been removed.

In a statement to Pune Mirror, JD Salaskar, Pune Police, said, “The spikes are very sharp and can turn fatal if someone falls there. Especially with the school around, the risk is severe. They had not sought permission for any such installation. Even though it has been put up inside the township, the road is being used by the masses and we have to ensure their safety.These structures are to be put up on gates with restricted entries and cannot be used on such roads which are used by public at large. We have inspected the road and then taken this decision.”

Also, such tyre killers are illegal in India and are not approved by the Indian Road Congress. The reason they were installed, “Considering the excessive vehicular commotion near the school, we had put up the tyre killers to ensure that people coming to pick their kids do not drive on the wrong side. The wrong-way drivers were a threat to kids’ safety. Also, we have seen multiple accidents every now and then. Since we put up these, the number of people driving in the wrong direction has decreased.” – Said Sunil Karate, Amanora Town, Pune.

India has the highest rate of deaths due to road accidents in the world. Over 1.5 lakh people die in India due to road accidents. Many of these accidents take place due to rider / driver not paying heed to traffic rules and regulations. Tyre killers seemed to be a very good solution to stop people from driving vehicles on the wrong side of the road. But it seems they are dangerous as well.

Are tyre killers more dangerous, or those who drive / ride on the wrong side?