VISAKHAPATNAM: The city roads appear to have become death traps, if the spurt in accidents is of any indication. Accidents in the city continue unabated, thanks to the lackadaisical enforcement of helmet rule and traffic norms.
In the first three months of this year, the city recorded 377 accidents, killing 96 people and injuring another 380. What worries the police is that the number of accidents occurred this year till now is almost 40 per cent of the total reported in the last few years. Police are even more concerned at the fact that 41 per cent of the road accidents involved two-wheelers.
As per the city traffic police department records, on an average 1,200 road accidents occur every year. But in the first 90 days of this year, there were 377 road accidents.
Out of them, 157 cases are of two-wheeler accidents, killing 43 persons (motorists) and injuring 156. Negligence of the motorists was behind all the 157 cases.
“Most of the accidents are due to rash driving and over-speeding. As per our observation, 80 to 85 per cent of the victims did not wear helmet. Compliance to the Helmet rule in the city is very very poor,” said a senior police officer on condition of anonymity.
Further, minors and people without driving licence figure in these cases. They not only risk their lives but also others, he said.
The second major actor in the city road accidents is auto-rickshaws. Over 50,000 auto-rickshaws ply on the city roads daily.
From Jan 1 till March-end, there were 53 accidents involving auto-rickshaws were reported, in which 10 persons died. Shockingly, all the deceased were not auto drivers but the pedestrians or the passengers.
Police sources said that number of auto-rickshaw accidents occurring in night is generally more than during daytime. Despite special drives against minor auto-drivers and over-speed, the auto menace continues unabated.
Though the other road accidents involve lorries, cars, vans and jeeps, the RTC bus accidents are major concern for the police. Seven persons died in the 18 RTC bus accidents this year. “Eighteen is obviously on the higher side. They are RTC bus drivers who would have gone through scheduled training. Besides, we also receive cases of rash driving and traffic norms violations,” said K Mahendra Patrudu, the ADCP (Traffic).
On the issue, another police officer said: “Though the time schedule, condition of buses and fuel economy are certainly the constraints, the RTC bus drivers should not violate the norms. The meagre fine of `100 does not seem to be a deterrent.”
Disturbing Figures
Officials Brainstorm over Road Safety
After the ghastly road accident at Nakkapalle that claimed 11 lives, the district administration and the traffic police have decided to implement several measures to keep the road mishaps on the NH at bay.
During a meeting headed by Collector N Yuvaraj here on Thursday, the officials of traffic police, Road Transport Authority (RTA), doctors, and several others had a brainstorming session to chalk out the plans.
The district traffic police opined that the central medians, being a low in height, were causing several accidents and it should be corrected. The collector said he would consult the National Highway Road Authority (NHAI) over the issue.
The traffic police pointed out that many areas along the NH do not have streetlights and warning boards, mentioning that there are 44 accident-prone areas in the district. In response to it, the collector asked the R&B officials to ensure speed breakers on the NH and gave a month to comply with the same. Excise officials said that there are 92 wine shops along the NH in the district. “The Excise Act needs several amendments to shift them from the NH,” they said.
‘Burdened’ Cops Have No Time For Helmet Rule
Visakhapatnam: Even as the government is in a dilemma over full-fledged enforcement of the helmet rule for want of adequate branded helmets, the deaths due to helmet-less driving continue unbated.
The city police say there are enough number of ISI branded helmets in Visakhapatnam and as a result they continue the drives. “We have been conducting the checks and we can bring the violators to book any day. But, burderned by additional duties, we are unable to conduct the drives regularly,” said a senior police officer.
The city police were busy in January and February with the CII summit, International Fleet Review (IFR) and World T20 cricket match. Official records suggest that there were only a few helmet rule violation cases registered in March. In April, the traffic police was busy implementing the one-way rule at Jagadamba junction, where 20 policemen were deployed for inspection and feedback. Further, the fast by the YSRC district president also kept the traffic police on their toes.