Fatal road accidents come down by 50 pc in Prakasam

Ongole: Prakasam district SP Malika Garg on Sunday stated that with the implementation of innovative ideas to prevent road accidents, they are successful in reducing the number of fatal accidents by 50 per cent, and a total drop in the number of accidents by 26 per cent in September 2021.

The SP informed in a press note that after as part of the 'No Accident Day' special drive, the district police engaged in traffic enforcement, awareness generation programmes for implementing the traffic rules. She said that they deployed a maximum number of police personnel on the roads with a focus on black spots, Stop-Watch-Go programmes, clearance of dangerous bushes, filling potholes with the cooperation of other departments.

She said that, as part of the road accident control and awareness drive, the police staff are standing on the roads with placards and slogans to enlighten the commuters, educating drivers on the occurrence of road accidents, creating awareness on traffic rules and regulations, and Motor Vehicle Act at local auto stands, truck union offices, and mini goods vehicle stands.

She said that the cops are also slapping fines on the violators of seat belts, over-speeding, triple riding, minor driving, overloading, drunk and drive, autos-side-sitting, unauthorised parking etc. to minimising the road accidents. She said that the police officers across the district are educating the riders about the dangers during night travel caused by dizziness and supplying water to commuters under the 'Face Wash' programme during nighttime.

The Prakasam SP informed that they have visited the location of accidents, along with the details on Google Maps, studied their causes and instructions to concerned authorities. With the preparation of a Joint Inspection Report on the road accidents with the Transport, Engineering and Municipal authorities with analysis of risk factors from various angles, they are directing the concerned officials to take steps to prevent accidents in the future.

She said that they have identified 55 black spots based on the accidents and set up interventions like speed breakers, signboards, solar blinkers, radium stickers at those places to indicate danger.

She informed that the number of fatal accidents is reduced from 53, the monthly average from January to August 2021, to 28 in September and the deaths are dropped from 59 to 29 in the same period. She also informed that the monthly average of traffic challans is increased from 12,776 to 39,813 in September. She said that with the innovative measures and persistent efforts, the number of road accidents and

deaths have been significantly reduced in a single month.