BHUBANESWAR: Stricter compliance, improved infrastructure and active community participation are crucial to curbing the growing number of road accidents in the state, said Transport commissioner-cum-chairman of State Transport Authority (STA) Amitabh Thakur.
Speaking at a media interaction organised by Manipal Hospital here on Friday, Thakur said, road safety month closely aligns with transport regulation, enforcement and policy. “The state government has intensified enforcement and simultaneously focused public awareness for making roads safer and reducing accidents,” he said.
Despite enforcement measures and improved trauma care, road accident fatalities continue to rise in the state. With an accident severity rate of 49.6 per cent, far higher than the national average of 37 per cent, Odisha has recorded 27,167 deaths and 50,041 injuries in 56,831 road accidents over the past five years, as per the Transport department data.
Cluster director (South East), Manipal Hospitals Dr Saktimaya Mohapatra said collaboration among hospitals, emergency services, authorities and media is essential to prevent avoidable loss of life. Director Dr Amit Jaiswal, IG of Fire Services Umashankar Dash, consultant Dr Avishek Chatterjee and consultant (Neurology) Dr Pradyut Ranjan Bhuyan also spoke.