Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Road accidents on the rise in capital

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, AUG. 31 . Despite several initiatives taken by the police to enforce road discipline and the enforcement of rules by the Motor Vehicles Department to curb road accidents, the number of accidents and number of persons getting killed and injured are on the rise in the capital district, if the accident figures for the first six months of the year are any indication.

Traffic experts say the total number of persons getting killed and injured in accidents in the district will surpass the figures of 2003 if the trend continues and if urgent remedial steps are not taken.

Main causes

Rash and negligent driving coupled with narrow and congested roads, potholes-filled stretches, speeding, flouting traffic rules, lack of pedestrian facilities, overtaking from the left side and ill-lit roads have been found to be the main cause of accidents from the analysis of the accident data, says Mahesh Chand, Chief Project Coordinator of the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (Natpac).

Along with this, the absence of scientifically designed medians and roundabouts, encroachments and the growth of private vehicles also contribute to the mounting accidents.

The poor enforcement of rules by the MVD and traffic police also contributes to the mounting accidents. It is chaos in many busy junctions of the capital after 8 p.m. once the traffic police personnel call it a day.

Jumping signals

The traffic signals at many points will be on, but the motorists seldom follow them. Jumping signals and moving through one-way stretches is a regular feature. Traffic experts say the introduction of video camera and tracers equipped with speed radars to check those flouting rules had failed to bring down the rate of road accidents.

Speeding by tipper lorries and sand-laden lorries and their movement even through the main thoroughfare during peak hours has become a matter of concern for road users. In the two fatal accidents involving a Plus Two student and a Milma official at Keston Road and Chakka recently, speeding of tipper lorries was the cause.

Dr. Mahesh Chand points out that there is no rehabilitation programme for accident victims and loss of job, disability and other social problems add to the suffering. Attempts should be made to curtail the number of accidents, provide timely compensation and implement rehabilitation programmes for the victims.

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