HYDERABAD: Breath analysers, which were introduced in the city and neighbouring Cyberabad to check drunken driving, would soon be put to use across the State in a couple of months, Transport Commissioner Ajay Mishra said here on Tuesday.

Speaking at the inaugural of a seminar on `Road Safety Management' organised by the Engineering Staff College of India (ESCI) as part of its silver jubilee, Mr. Mishra said other measures, such as speed governors to keep vehicle speed under control were also being worked out.

Expressing concern at the steady rise in the number of road accidents, he said each year, accidents and subsequent injuries and deaths were rising at around 10 to 15 per cent in the State. "These are not coming down and it is a matter of concern for us," he said.

Apart from other causes such as bad road engineering and design, speed and drunken driving were found to be the two major contributing factor for the road accidents. Appropriate actions were being initiated to address these aspects and bring down the fatalities and injuries, he said.

Efforts were on to put in place road safety cells in each district and the evaluation of the Transport Department officials was being linked with the safety aspects.

Apart from revenue generation, the department is paying attention on road safety issues and funds are procured for the purpose.

In his address, ESCI Director S. Nagabhushana Rao stressed the need for an unified authority and bringing different associated wings under a single umbrella for safety aspects to be enforced better. Once people were apprehensive of accidents related to air and rail but now road travel with its high accident rate has nudged them down the list, he said.

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