BANGALORE: The Bangalore Traffic Police (BTP) have every reason to celebrate. The number of fatal accidents in the year 2011 in the city is less when compared to road accidents in the last one decade. The reasons attributed to this are effective checks on drunk driving and implementation of road safety measures. The statistics available up to November 30, 2011 show that as many as 686 persons have lost their lives in road accidents when compared to 858 in 2010. Among the dead, 45 per cent are pedestrians, 40 per cent are two-wheeler riders and others constitute five per cent.
The Bangalore Traffic Police are happy over the fact that they have been able to save at least 100 lives in the last eleven months. “We are keeping our fingers crossed that the year 2011 passes off without adding to the number of fatal accidents. In fact, three youths were killed in road mishaps on December 31, 2010”, remarked M A Saleem, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic and Internal Security).
He told Express that, of late, the traffic cops have intensified drive against drunk driving in the entire city which has helped to reduce the toll. In November, 2011 alone, 54 persons were killed in road accidents when compared to 90 deaths during the same period last year. The people were educated about the effects of drunk driving and this helped to contain the number of accidents considerably. Most of the victims are two-wheeler riders who drive under the influence of alcohol. They do not understand the effects of such tragedies on their families, police said.