The year 2013 saw the lowest number of road accidents and fatalities in the last 10 years. The reason, according to the Traffic Police, is the implementation of pro-active measures, including regulation of traffic rules, improved visibility on roads and crackdown on drunk driving.
While the number of road accidents in 2013 was 1,693, the total number deaths due to road accidents was 1,725, the lowest in the last 10 years.
In 2012, the number of accidents was 1,757 and number of deaths due to road accidents was 1,801, while the number of deaths due to road accidents in 2011 was 2,110.
“Our research cell has played a crucial role in bringing down the number of road accidents. The research cell of the Traffic Police studies the physical causes behind accidents on a day-to-day basis and recommends the improvements required. For example, if an accident took place due to a divider at the wrong place or a tree in the middle of a road or inadequate lighting in a particular area, the research cell brings it to our notice and we take up the matter with the civic agency,” said a police officer.
Installation of new traffic signals, blinkers and pedestrian signals with audio facility for the visually-challenged at important places, accident-prone locations and conflict junctions has also helped, added the officer.
Special Commissioner of Police Traffic Taj Hassan told The Hindu : “Sustained measures like traffic management, identification of black spots in the Capital and systematic study by the research cell of the Traffic Police have helped us bring down the number of fatalities on the Capital’s roads.”
The drive against drunk driving here also helped in bringing down the number of accidents. In 2013, 24,564 vehicle drivers were prosecuted for drunk driving. The figure has gone up from the last year’s 23,829, clearly showing stricter action against drunk driving. In the future, the Traffic Police are planning to come up with more advanced techniques for improvement of the traffic situation.
