Hyderabad now has the dubious distinction of recording the highest number of two-wheeler accidents in the country. At 32.4 per cent, the capital stands far ahead of Delhi, Mumbai and other metros, which record nearly 25 per cent accidents involving two-wheelers a year.
This was revealed by Subodh Satyawadi, chief executive officer of GVK-EMRI, while speaking at ‘Strategic Road Safety Workshop: An Australian Perspective’ held here on Friday. It is not just other metros, the percentage of two-wheeler accidents in Hyderabad is much higher compared to the State’s cumulative two-wheeler accident percentage of 20.9 per cent.
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Everyday, nearly 300 accidents are reported in the State, majority of which involving two-wheelers. This is mainly because flack of awareness and failure to follow traffic rules, said Mr. Satyawadi.
The workshop was organised by the Australian Trade Commission, and a delegation from that country, too, participated. The representatives spoke about road safety awareness and strategy, road engineering and vehicle engineering.
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Australian Trade Commissioner Grayson Perry said the objective of the workshop was to provide a platform for diverse organisations, both in Australia and India, to meet, share and learn the best practices in road safety.
‘Faulty vehicle design’
World Health Organisation (WHO) Consultant Colin Yarham stressed the need for school and college bus manufacturers to re-think vehicle design.
During emergency, passengers are told to break the emergency windows using hammers, while many vehicles lack such tools.
Maintaining that there should be an alternative mechanism, he said road safety should be part of school curriculum.
Toll Group vice-president Harry Lagad said most trucks and heavy vehicles were now equipped with camera, AC and GPS-enabled system in the driver’s cabin. Through GPS, truck owners can monitor the driver’s skills and his adherence to rules, he added.