Kathmandu, September 29: With the festive season approaching, the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police have decided to tighten enforcement of the rule requiring two drivers on long-distance public vehicles operating at night.
The Traffic Police are increasing monitoring to enforce the rule with the aim of ensuring passenger safety, reducing road accidents and guaranteeing safe travel.
The Traffic Police said they would intensify inspections and monitoring to ensure effective implementation of the existing rule requiring two drivers on long-distance vehicles.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police Suresh Prasad Kafle, chief of the Valley Traffic Police Office, enforcement is being tightened particularly during the festive season because passenger numbers increase and long-distance buses operate at night. The arrangement is intended to reduce the risk of accidents caused by driver fatigue.
He said traffic police would regularly check whether long-distance public vehicles have two drivers. Vehicles found operating with only one driver in violation of the rule will face action under the prevailing law.
Kafle said the two-driver system is being implemented more effectively because drivers may not get adequate rest during long-distance journeys, particularly at night, and the risk of accidents can increase because of fatigue caused by continuous driving.
Superintendent of Police Naresh Raj Subedi, spokesperson for the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, said the rule requiring two drivers on long-distance night-time public vehicles would be enforced more strictly. “For the safety of drivers as well as passengers, there is a rule requiring two drivers in vehicles operating night services. We are now going to enforce this rule more strictly,” he said.
According to Subedi, effective implementation of the two-driver system would allow drivers to take turns driving and help manage driver fatigue during long journeys.
Similarly, the Traffic Police will strictly check whether drivers of long-distance vehicles have consumed alcohol or narcotic substances.
Subedi said monitoring would be increased to control potential risks by checking drivers’ condition before vehicles begin their journeys as well as during travel.
A special campaign is being launched with passenger safety and transport management as priorities, as the number of passengers using public transport increases during the festive season, demand for tickets rises and the movement of long-distance vehicles becomes heavier.
The Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office said that, under the festival-focused campaign, it would also monitor the condition of vehicles, drivers’ qualifications and compliance with traffic rules. The office said the campaign aims to ensure safe travel for passengers, control road accidents and prevent incidents of passenger fraud.
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