UP bans scenes, ads showing violation of road safety laws

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government today banned the display of scenes and commercials in films and on television showing violation of road safety laws to prevent youths and others from practising them.

Transport and Road Safety Commissioner K Ravindra Naik issued the directives to respective district magistrates and chairpersons of district road safety committees to ban scenes in films being screened in their districts as well as on television commercials, an official release said here.

"Ban should be imposed on such scenes at the local level through cable and DTH networks and if there is any requirement for orders prohibiting them from higher level, a proposal with recommendation will be sent to the government," it said.

The release pointed out that every year some 16,000 lives are lost in accidents in Uttar Pradesh besides over 20,000 get injured and there is need to make special efforts to check them.

"It is often seen that in films and commercials on television, actors are seen driving two-wheelers without helmet or four wheelers without seat belt," the release said, adding sometimes scenes of drunken driving or over speeding are also shown.

"These kind of scenes make an adverse impact on the psyche of common people, especially youths and they are encouraged to overlook road safety rules which needed to be checked," it added.