At least one person dies in a road accident every day in Hassan district, according to the police. The number of accidents has been on the rise in the recent times in the district. Bad roads, rash, negligent and drunken driving are some of the major reasons for road accidents.
According to statistics obtained from the Office of the Superintendent of Police, 166 fatal accidents were reported in the district in 2011 till May 31. Last year, the number of fatal accidents reported in the district was 345.
Superintendent of Police Amit Singh said he has instructed the Deputy Superintendents of Police to identify the accident zones in their jurisdiction. The police, Mr. Singh said will identify accident zones and request the Public Works Department to install signage in those zones so that commuters can be cautious.
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Mr. Singh argued that upgraded roads are also a reason for rise in road accidents. “Good roads prompt riders to increase their speed which results in accidents”, he added. In order to check rash driving, police personnel have been deployed at various points in the district. Breath analysers are used to check drunken driving.
Mr. Singh admitted that it had been very difficult to curb maxicabs carrying passengers in rural areas. “The public need maxicabs as they do not have other means of transportation”, he said.
As many as 1.62 lakh vehicles are registered with Hassan RTO. There has been huge influx of vehicles in the district limits as NH 48 passes through the district. RTO M.N. Gopalakrishna said his staff collected fine amounting to Rs. 1.52 crore from violators of the Motor Vehicles Act in 2010-11.
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“We can only enforce law to check accidents. We have been collecting penalty and conducting awareness campaigns for smooth and safe driving. However, people should also understand the value of their lives”, he said.