While the number of murder cases has come down to 62 this year from the average of 80-84 murder cases annually, the incidence of fatal accidents is on the rise from an annual average of 360 to 382 in the district, according to Superintendent of Police Ashwin M. Kotnis.
Addressing the students of V.O. Chidambaram College here at a Road Safety Seminar organised by the Regional Transport authorities of Thoothukudi on Thursday, he said fatal accidents occurred since most of the two-wheeler riders did not wear helmets. The victims were mostly in the productive age group of 15 to 40 years.
About 99% fatalities occurred because the victims failed to wear helmets. Several cases were being booked against bikers without helmets and many two-wheeler riders were intercepted and fined. It was all to educate them on the importance of their lives, which should be safeguarded by all means. There was no glory in dying on roads, the SP said.
Collector M. Ravikumar, who delivered the inaugural address, said life was a precious asset to be valued and protected. Top priority had to be accorded to road safety. He also stressed the need for wearing helmets while riding two-wheelers.
Dean of Thoothukudi Government Medical College B. Shanthakumar said the youths showed immense craze about riding bikes at high speed and he insisted on the two-wheeler riders wearing helmets.
Thoothukudi Regional Transport Officer (RTO) K. Anand said the programme was aimed at educating, engineering and enforcing road safety.
The seminar was about accident audit analysis of 2016, he said. Earlier, College Principal C. Veerabahu welcomed the gathering. Thoothukudi Sub-Collector Deepak Jacob and Tiruchendur RTO R. Sakthivel were also present.
