BANGALORE: Over 70 software professionals are killed in road accidents in Bangalore each year on average. A recent study has revealed that vehicles transporting them are involved in more than 600 of the around 10,000 accidents reported in the city each year. These numbers pose questions on the safety of the estimated 1.095 lakh employees of software and BPO (business process outsourcing) firms here, 30,000 of whom work for call centres.

The study, taken up by the traffic engineering expert M.N. Sreehari, chairman of Traffic Engineers and Safety Trainers (TEST), has estimated that vehicles taken on contract by these companies, such as Tempo Travellers, Qualis, Tata Sumo and Indica, make over 20,000 trips each day to take employees to their workplace and drop them back.

Because of the number of trips and congestion on the roads, the drivers of vehicles engaged by BPO units are under pressure to keep to schedule and they drive at high speeds. This is the main reason for accidents, according to the study.

Moreover, the drivers are given only short breaks and they are under stress. Cases have been registered against them for rash and negligent driving, speeding, drunken driving, violation of one-way rule and failure to stop at traffic signals.

The study has suggested that BPO companies introduce three shifts — 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. and 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. It has said that the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation could operate "BPO specials" for employees so that companies can reduce their dependence on contract vehicles.

To educate these drivers about road safety, TEST has conducted training programmes for drivers at organisations such as Cipla, Toyota Kirloskar, Kshema Technologies and Texas Instruments.

Prof. Sreehari says drivers of vehicles engaged by BPO firms should be told to conform to speed limits, which is 40 kmph on most roads and 60 kmph on arterial roads. "Because of congestion on the roads, delays and the number of pickups, the drivers resort to speeding; sometimes the speeds are more than 80 kmph," he adds.

The other suggestions are exemption from night shifts for women; introduction of a programme to relieve drivers of stress; monitoring the movement of vehicles with the help of the Global Positioning System; grant of incentives to drivers with a good safety record; facilities to employees on night shift to enable them to remain on the campus for the night and leave at daybreak; and wireless facility in vehicles.

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