Eluru: Speed, drunken driving main reasons for road accidents

Eluru: District Collector R Muthyala Raju has informed officials that high speed and drunken driving are main reasons for road accidents in the district.

He convened a review meeting with officials of highway, police, transport, panchayat, medical and health, R&B and other departments on how to prevent accidents to mark 31st National Road Safety Week celebrations here on Tuesday.

Speaking on the occasion, the Collector said that not wearing helmets and seat belts were resulting in deaths in road accidents. He explained the officials that while 30 per cent accidents were occurring on national highways, 27 per cent on state highways and 43 per cent on other roads. He instructed the officials to identify accident-prone spots and take appropriate measures to contain the accidents.

He directed the officials to keep ready 108 ambulances, highway patrolling vehicles and police road safety vehicles to minimize the number of deaths in road accidents. Immediately after accident, the same should be informed to the nearest hospitals before the injured being shifted. This would help the hospital officials to keep ready equipment and medical staff by the time the injured reaches the hospitals. Rest areas should be identified on the highways so that drivers of trucks and other vehicles take rest.

Along the highways coin box phones along with emergency phone numbers should be arranged for the use in case of accidents. Cases should be booked when road rules are violated. The officials should create awareness among people on traffic rules and precautions to be take while travelling on highways. For proper awareness on traffic rules, special programmes should be arranged for school and college students besides supplying booklets with useful information on the same. Stating that encroachments on roads are another reason for accidents, the Collector instructed the officials to take steps to remove encroachments on roads.