Introduction

“22-year-old shot at after fight over parking” … “The driver of Delhi Public School, Rohini, carrying 40 school students, suffered from severe head injuries, when he was hit by two men in an Alto car, for not giving them passage” … “G D Goenka School’s bus driver was hit by a hammer by a man in a Scorpio for not giving way.” … “5 youths in a Verna car attacked three pedestrians and killed one of them not giving way to their car” … “A police constable was dragged for more than 100 metres and was killed by being crushed under the wheels of a car that was being stopped for crossing red light.”

These are a few instances of what is happening almost regularly in Delhi and are popularly referred to as “Road rage incidents” in the newspapers. In the last 2-3 years, almost every day we get to hear about such incidents and the people on the roads in Delhi are so short-tempered that they don’t even hesitate to hit, punch or even kill someone on the pretext of some minor issues on the road, leave aside the regular abuses and arguments.

Delhi senior police officials have stated that in 2013, 36 road rage incidents were reported and in 2014 till August, there were already more than 20 cases registered. The PCR receives almost 10-12 calls every day on minor scuffles on the roads of Delhi. Short-tempered drivers have made the roads of Delhi very dangerous and unsafe for others. With the rising frequency of such incidents, this issue is giving rise to serious concerns and calls for urgent preventive steps.