Reaside Bus Ad Endanger The Road Safety
Advertisements on rear side of buses are endangering the safety of fellow road users. The Coimbatore Consumer Cause (CCC) has said that advertisement on the rear side of the buses would endanger the safety of fellow motorists. In a memorandum to the Home Secretary, the CCC secretary K. Kathirmathiyon pointed out that such advertisements were in violation of Rule 343 and 368 of the Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicle Rules. Mr. Kathirmathiyon pointed out that based on the Supreme Court order and Chief Minister’s specific instructions advertisement boards and hoardings on the roadsides had been completely removed in the district. The forum pointed out that advertisements on the rear side of the vehicles attracts only the attention of the driver of the following vehicle and not the general public. Many of the advertisements were attractive. Such advertisements lead to accidents.
The Government was taking all possible measures to prevent accidents.State level and district level road safety meetings were conducted to avoid accidents. Unfortunately, most of the State-owned TNSTC buses, both town and mofussil buses have exhibited commercial such advertisement boards. As per rule 343 of Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicle Rules 1989, no advertisement shall be carried or displayed by the transport vehicles without the written permission from the Transport Authority (District Collector).
But none of the buses had obtained such permission from the Collector. When the matter was brought to the knowledge of the Collector, he confirmed that no approval was given to any of the buses. He instructed the TNSTC officials to remove them immediately. But the TNSTC never bothered to comply with the directive.
