The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Coimbatore News : A road map for safety

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 03, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore

A road map for safety

Staff Reporter

Decrease in non-fatal accidents; increase in fatal accidents

PHOTO: S. SIVA SARAVANAN

For safer rOADs: City Police Commissioner K.C. Mahali (second right) releasing the ‘Prospective Traffic Plan for 2009’ in Coimbatore on Friday. –

Coimbatore: Commissioner of Police, Coimbatore City, K.C. Mahali on Friday released ‘Prospective Traffic plan for City for 2009’, a compilation of public suggestions towards better traffic management with focus on road safety.

The Commissioner handed over a copy of the plan to Deputy Commissioners of Police S. Rajendran (law and order), K. Shanmugavel (crime and traffic) and P. Nagarajan (headquarters).

Mr. Mahali said during 2008, micro level traffic planning study programme was done on almost all major roads. The study included accident mapping and initiating remedial measures such as construction of speed breakers, installation of speed breakers and maintenance of traffic signals besides stepped up enforcement of road rules.

The other initiative last year was networking of government and private hospital ambulances with the police control room to ensure speedy and instant medical aid i.e., ‘trauma care’ for accident victims during the golden hour. Comparing the accident statistics, Mr. Mahali said the city roads witnessed 1,089 non-fatal accidents in 2008 as against the 1,220 in 2007 showing 11 per cent fall. As many as 1,316 persons were injured in the accidents in 2008 as against the 1,437 in 2007 showing a decrease of 8 per cent. The year 2008 witnessed 292 fatal accident cases as against the 274 cases reported in 2007, there was an increase of 7 per cent. Compiled statistics relating to fatal and non-fatal accidents revealed that there were 1,494 cases in 2007. There was an overall decrease of 7.5 per cent compared to the previous year.

Any reform or measure initiated will have to be implemented with public participation and cooperation to avert resistance and failures. Hence for the prospective plan for 2009, the City Police sought suggestions and ideas from the public. A total of 69 suggestions were received both by e-mail and post. Of them, 55 per cent of the opinions sought strict enforcement of road rules, 30 per cent sought better road engineering and 20 per cent sought education and awareness on road rules. The prospective traffic plan would be implemented with immediate effect, Mr. Mahali said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu