Tiruchi City has witnessed a marginal rise in fatal accidents in the current year notwithstanding enforcement and awareness drives by the law enforcers.
The casualty figures also rose this year as compared to the previous year. The number of fatal accident cases reported during the period from January till date was 71 with an equal number of casualties. This was higher as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year when fatal cases recorded were 57 and the casualty figures being 59.
Non-fatal accidents were equally on the higher side this year with the police booking 183 cases as compared to 125 during the corresponding period of the previous year, police sources said. Although fatal accidents have been reported at different locations within the city limits, the City Police authorities have identified certain accident-prone black spots in their jurisdiction. Police sources say Sanjeevi Nagar along the Tiruchi-Chennai By Pass, ‘Y’ Road Junction, G Corner, SIT along the Tiruchi-Thanjavur national highway and Panchappur have been identified as potential accident-prone black spots.
The sources said the City Police would soon be installing a police booth near the ‘Y’ road junction which witnesses dense movement of vehicles towards Chennai and towards Tiruchi. The need for establishing a police booth was felt both from the accident and crime point of view. Works for setting up the booth had commenced and were expected to be completed in a month’s time. The booth would be equipped with Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras.
The establishment of a police booth equipped with ANPR cameras would deter motorists from overspeeding and help in keeping a tab on the movement of vehicles of criminals passing through the location, the sources added. Police have also identified certain places to erect high mast lamps within the city limits which they planned to take it up in the Road Safety Council Meeting.
Rash driving by many motorists was the main cause of accidents within the city limits, said C. Balasubramanian, a former member of the District Road Safety Council. Wrong-side driving and violation of the one-way rule were also common in the city which could potentially lead to accidents. Rash driving could be noticed along the stretch from Tiruchi Junction to the Chathram bus stand, Woraiyur and Thillai Nagar areas where movement of vehicles was heavy.
Mr. Balasubramanian suggested that the law enforcers could embark on a drive for a longer duration to curb rash driving by two-wheeler riders, four-wheelers and private buses. This step would to a large extent deter rash driving and curb accident rate within the city limits.
