December witnesses the highest number of fatal road accidents in Bangalore.
Almost 10 per cent of accidents and deaths occur during this month, according to the Bangalore Traffic Police, who have conducted a study.
According to M.A. Saleem, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), an average of 800 people are killed in road accidents every year in Bangalore and 4,000 are injured in accidents.
More people die in road accidents than in natural calamities or due to a contagious disease.
Weather conditions
Mr. Saleem told The Hindu that there was a sharp increase in the number of fatalities in December.
The reasons were many such as foggy weather in the nights and early mornings. While weather conditions could not be changed, adopting safe driving practices could prevent fatalities, he said.
Campaign launched
He said that 25 people died during the last week of December 2011. Stating that drunken driving was one of the major causes of accidents, he said that the department had launched a monthlong campaign to create awareness against drinking and driving. Mr. Saleem urged motorists not to drive after drinking alcohol, not only for their own safety but also for the safety of other road-users.
While the total number of road accident deaths in 2007 was 981, 80 people died in December alone; in 2008, total was 892 and in December it was 67; in 2009, total was 761 and in December it was 71; in 2010, total was 858 and in December it was 52; and in 2011, the total number of road accident deaths was 757 and 72 people died in December.
