Harjit Singh Bedi, J.

1. The matter before us is of a great public importance and clearly reflects the anxiety and concern that we feel towards the travelling public. The number of vehicles on the road, the speed to which they can now be driven, the lack of elementary skills, knowledge and etiquette of decent driving have led to an enormous increase in the number of accidents and a journey by road with mangled vehicles and bodies strewn around is a common experience. The statistics picked up by us from The Tribune dated 19, 20 and 21.8.2001 are truly disturbing. It has been reported that there has been a 500 per cent increase in deaths in accidents in Punjab between 1980 to 2000 and that against 472 deaths in 1980, 2800 persons had lost their lives, in 1999- 2000. It has also been reported that the number of murders in Punjab in 1980 was 620 and while the murders had mercifully remained around 800 as of today, the number of deaths in road accidents had gone up alarmingly. It was further reported that the worst offenders were trucks, followed by cars, buses and two-wheelers. Little wonder, therefore, that a safe return from a journey is often an occasion for thanks giving. I