The traffic enforcement squad attached to the City police has come out with a slew of awareness activities and field-level campaigns to make the urban youth traffic-literate and to reduce the number of road accidents by 2020.
A major initiative as part of intervention is the formation of traffic clubs in a number of city schools and to teach children the values of safe driving, road manners and safety guidelines.
Assistant Commissioner of Traffic P.K. Raju said the police had already given shape to 45 such traffic clubs in selected schools in the city.
“The traffic clubs will make a strong intervention to guide the younger generation on the right track and ensure their active participation in safe drive campaigns,” he added.
The project was officially launched at BEM High School on Saturday in the presence of senior police officers and coordinators of traffic clubs.
Inspector General of Police Asok Yadav officially announced the scheme at the event chaired by District Police Chief (Kozhikode City) A.V. George.
Solutions to issues
Traffic police personnel said the opening of more traffic clubs would be considered in city schools as part of intensifying awareness campaigns. Such clubs would also play a crucial role in studying the city’s traffic issues and proposing solutions to higher authorities, they said.
Accident deaths
The police came up with the school-level initiative, mainly after noticing the increasing incidents of accident deaths. The total number of road accident deaths in Kozhikode city last year was 154. In Kozhikode Rural police district, it was 187. The district accounted for about 8% of the total road accident deaths in Kerala in 2018.
The number of motorbikes involved in tragic accidents too was very high in Kozhikode city, and youths were the main victims. Police officials said the intensive awareness campaigns in schools would help change the rash driving habits of youths. The awareness sessions will highlight the danger of unlicensed driving and violation of rules.
Traffic park
A ₹2-crore traffic park planned in the city with facilities for scientific demonstrations and training too will help train urban youngsters in safe driving habits. Work on the park will begin soon after a convenient spot is identified by the district administration and the Kozhikode Corporation.
