Meeting For Accident Prevention Efforts
City Police Commissioner K.C. Mahali explaining accident prevention efforts at a meeting with doctors in the city on Saturday. While the city police mark accident-prone areas as black spots, people should visualise dead bodies on accident victims lying on the roads. This way, everyone will be able to understand the gravity of the situation on the city roads and help in preventing accidents, City Police Commissioner K.C. Mahali said here on Saturday. Making a presentation on his department’s micro-level traffic planning and calling for the support of hospitals and the public in the management of accident cases, Mr. Mahali said Coimbatore must first become an “all-helmet” city. “We began in January this year our micro-level planning of studying the conditions that lead to accidents. And, we have also taken up measures like laying speed breakers and putting up barricades and median,” he said. “I must say that not much success has been made. That is why we are extending the programme till September.” From January to June, 171 people were killed in accidents here compared to nine murders during this period (see Table). “On an average, one person dies on the city roads every day,” he said.
Of the total fatal accidents, 44 per cent involved two-wheeler or pillion riders. And, most of them died of head injuries. They could have been saved if they had worn helmets. A study by the police also found that Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation buses were involved in 25 per cent of the fatal accidents. The other categories causing fatal accidents were: private buses (14 per cent), lorries (34 per cent), cars (21 per cent), tempos/vans (11 per cent) and motorcycles (37 per cent).
“One irresponsible driver cannot go on killing people on the roads,” he said about the need to end reckless driving. The police were also keeping a watch on the situation on 10 roads that passed through the city. It was yet to get into any micro-level action on 87 Coimbatore Corporation roads. Mr. Mahali said the police aimed at turning roads comfortable and safe for driving. Deputy Commissioner (Crime and Traffic) K. Thondiraj said the objective was to improve traffic flow and reduce accidents.Deputy Commissioner (Law and Order) S. Rajendran also spoke on the need to prevent accidents.
