The police are to launch a campaign to confront bus drivers who break traffic rules. The Special Operations Commander of Traffic Police said in an interview with Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) that the program is coordinated with the Bus Company.
Col. Saeed Sepehri said part of the program is to patrol bus routes, bus terminals, and other places where buses frequent. He said the manner of driving, drivers’ dress code, and the safety of vehicles will be monitored. Sepehri said the initiative is aimed to reduce traffic congestion and encourage public transport.”It would be more logical and effective to focus on human causes of traffic problems instead of expanding roads and highways,” he said.
Among the violations that will be dealt with are illegal stops, speeding, veering off onto the pedestrian zone, and stepping out of the vehicle while the engine is idling. The penalty for stopping at the wrong place for instance or leaving the vehicle running would be up to $7. Seating extra passengers in the driver’s seat will face a tougher fine –around $14; the same amount will be levied for leaving the vehicle door open when on the move or boarding or disembarking passengers other than at bus stops or terminals.
Extra Commuters
On boarding extra passengers, Sepehri said drivers are required to board as many passengers as the number of seats, but this only applies to intercity buses; so buses that ply to suburbs outside the city should be careful not to cram their vehicles with extra commuters or else they will be penalized $5 per ticket.
The ultimate goal is to ensure citizens’ safety and efficiency of public transport. He said that unfortunately in the past many city bus drivers ignored traffic rules thinking they could go scot-free.
Traffic accidents cause thousands of deaths and injuries every year. According to UNICEF, the rate of road accidents in Iran is 20 times more than the world average and traffic fatalities cost Iran’s economy $ 6 billion annually, which amounts to more than five per cent of the country’s Gross National Product.
