BHUBANESWAR: Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissioner Sanjeeb Panda on Wednesday said there is a need to educate people about the importance of complying with traffic rules, which can help curb fatal road accidents in the state.
Speaking at The New Indian Express (TNIE) and Hero MotoCorp’s ‘Ride Safe India’ campaign at Commissionerate Police Headquarters here, Panda said road safety is important for everyone. “While police are enforcing road safety measures, there is also a need to educate people on obeying traffic rules,” he said.
“People should not wear helmets just to avoid paying fines. They should care for their own safety too. Statistically, if everyone starts wearing helmets, including the pillion riders, road accident-related fatalities will come down by 50 per cent. Besides enforcement activities by the police, it is also important that civil society, media and other groups come forward to educate people about the importance of wearing helmets,” Panda added.
The Police Commissioner appreciated TNIE for extending its support for a noble cause and distributing helmets among cops and the public.
On the occasion, Bhubaneswar DCP Prateek Singh said the campaign will go a long way in creating awareness and ensuring safety of commuters. More such initiatives should be taken to spread the message of road safety, he said. A mega motorcycle rally consisting of 80 police and traffic personnel was held on the day. Apart from police personnel, free helmets were also distributed among a few traffic violators.
Similarly, a bike rally consisting of 180 students and staff of SOA University was held as part of the ‘Ride Safe India’ campaign. Vice-chancellor Prof Dr Pradipta Nanda said the campaign has been launched at a crucial time as the number of road accidents are increasing every day. “Amid the growing volume of traffic, it is important for commuters to follow the road safety rules. Traffic violations are leading to many road accidents and people must remain cautious while driving/riding to ensure their own safety as well as of others,” he said. Dean of Institute of Agricultural Sciences Prof Santosh Rout and SOA director (PR) Paresh Das were present.
Earlier, 80 NCC cadets of the Army and Air Force took part in the campaign which was launched at Rasulgarh square.