Kerala - Kochi   

Minister urges change in attitude to curb accidents

Staff Reporter

Inaugurates training programme for bus drivers

KOCHI: Transport Minister Mathew T. Thomas has called for an attitudinal change to prevent road accidents.

Inaugurating a four-day training programme for bus drivers organised at the Aluva YMCA by the Motor Vehicle Department on Thursday, he said that Kerala had the highest accident rate in the country.

"High literacy level has not come to our aid in preventing accidents. People take to the wheels after getting drunk and also chat over cell phone. A good driving culture is the need of the hour. Road users should learn to share the road and have concern for others."

Encroachment on roads is rampant and roads and footpaths are becoming dumping yards for garbage and construction materials, "Increasing road infrastructure alone is not enough. In some roads, fatal accidents increased after their condition was improved, mainly because of speeding. This points to the bad driving habit of drivers."

The training was arranged in connection with Road Safety Week. Mr. Thomas said most fatal accidents involving buses were the aftermath of rash and negligent driving.

"Legally, MVD officials cannot restrict permits. The result is that many buses ply on the same route, within a gap of minutes. Though speed governors will check accidents, it will be difficult to enforce it in Kerala alone. Our aim should be to decrease road accidents and road rage."

In his presidential address, A.M. Yusuf, MLA, requested the trainee drivers to prevail on their peers against rash driving. He expressed concern at roads and footpaths being encroached upon by people.

Ernakulam Rural SP M Wahab said that each year over 200 people get killed in the suburbs of Ernakulam alone in accidents. The Transport Minister released Sarathy, a handbook for drivers on road safety, authored by Ernakulam RTO M.N. Prabhakaran. Among those present were Senior Deputy Transport Commissioner Ravindran Nair and Deputy Transport Commissioner M.A. Rosamma.

"Owners of the buses driven by trainees have promised to give them wages for the four days. The drivers will attend classes on technical and non-technical subjects. Management experts will take classes on the need for behavioural change, so that driving becomes less stressful. Counselling too will be given and the trainees made to wake up early in the morning to do yoga and meditation," said Mr. Prabhakaran.

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