Editorial
Fake driving licenses
Correct the systemic disorder
The communications minister should not at all be surprised to find that of the four drivers he checked the licenses of, three had fake license and the fourth was not authorised to drive heavy
vehicles at all.
We thank the minister for his efforts to get things straight. But, while it is all very good for him to be checking driving licenses of drivers on the roads the effect is at best symbolic and, on the road in the public eye, may look dramatic, but not quite what he and we all are looking for.
For the real effect we feel the minister should go for systemic mend. He must get into the system of not only issuance of driving license but also of conducting fitness of vehicles and issues of route permit as well. The problem is that the racket issuing fake licenses has not only thrown the BRTA out of the loop but has helped keep the drivers out of the legal process as well.
When a driver with an inauthentic license commits an accident he remains untraceable since the particulars on the license are fake, thus subverting the legal process. And for all that one can tell he obtains another license, courtesy the racket. An equally more unacceptable consequence is the fact that this deprives the state of huge revenue ever year.
The fact that between 60 and 70 percent of the drivers on the roads drive with fake license is nothing new. And this newspaper has been consistently highlighting the seriousness of the matter. And it is deep anguish we note that there has been no concrete action on the part of the governments to address the problem.
The imperative therefore is to get into the system. While it is common knowledge that majority of the driving licenses are fake, that is not to say that drivers holding phony licenses are unfit to drive A drive should be conducted to find out the fake license holders, who should be given genuine documents after putting them through the necessary tests. This will not only legalise the drivers having adequate skills and driving experience but would also cull the unfit ones, apart from making BRTA relevant.
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