Referring to the letter titled ‘Curb Wrong-Side Driving in Saraswathipuram’ (Star of Mysore, Nov. 21), it’s unfortunate that such reckless behaviour isn’t restricted to a specific area or city. What was once an isolated issue has now become a common sight on almost every road in the country, whether it’s a city street or a highway, and regardless of the presence of a median.
I have regularly observed vehicles of all types – not just two-wheelers or auto-rickshaws, but also cars, trucks, and even tractors – driving on the wrong side. These are not rare cases but serious violations of road safety norms.
It remains unclear whether this behavior results from drivers’ disregard for road safety or from the authorities’ inability to control such reckless actions, which put everyone’s life in jeopardy. Numerous accidents, including fatalities, have been reported on highways and in urban areas due to this issue. This dangerous practice has become habitual because many people lack the patience to follow proper routes and prefer taking shortcuts, like illegal U-turns, to reach their destinations faster.
Although rising fuel costs may be a factor, the key issue lies in the prevalent ‘careless’ attitude towards road safety. Alarmingly, some school van drivers and parents transporting children are also involved in wrong-side driving, endangering the children’s safety and teaching them that such behaviour is acceptable.
Unless there is a shift in attitude, this reckless driving will remain a frequent and dangerous feature on our roads.
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