GUNTUR: Recently, as many as five catering persons died when a lorry collided with an overloaded auto in which they were travelling on the Guntur-Kurnool highway in the Bapatla district. This is not the first case where people lost their lives due to the negligence of auto drivers plying irresponsibly on the national highways, which are meant for vehicles travelling long distances. In the past couple of months, more than ten people were killed in similar road mishaps in the erstwhile Guntur district.
The rise in road accident deaths due to auto rickshaws and two-wheelers, which utilise service roads of national highways, and vehicles parked on busy stretches has once again highlighted the dire need for a robust highway patrol. The cause of such accidents can be blamed on drivers, who are supposed to follow the road regulations as bikes, autos, and other slow-moving vehicles like agricultural tractors are generally not allowed on access-controlled highways.
According to transport department officials, most drivers do not have permission to operate beyond city and municipal limits. However, a few auto drivers are flouting rules and overloading their vehicles. Even the public, who had to travel during the wee hours, are not bothered about their safety as they get into such overloaded vehicles due to lack of proper public transportation. Ankamma, a resident of Tenali who regularly travels to Mangalagiri and Tadepalli opined that, as the RTC buses are not so frequent, we can’t afford to be late to work. So, as autos are easily available, we travel in autos, she added.
In order to prevent such incidents, collector Venugopal Reddy instructed the transport officials to increase patrol on highways to prevent slow vehicles from travelling on service roads and highways. Meanwhile, the officials are also creating awareness of Good Samaritan Law to encourage the public to take the initiative to save the injured in any accidents and emergencies and take them to a nearby hospital.
According to official reports, as many as 1,071 accidents were reported in the district in 2022, including 397 deaths and 1,011 injuries. In 2023, 474 road accidents were reported, in which as many as 146 people died and 393 people were injured.