Clampdown on traffic violators reduces road mishaps in Nellore

Nellore: You believe it or not, fatal accidents occur in Nellore only between 3 pm to 9 pm. A study conducted by the district police revealed the fact and the subsequent measures for preventing such instances reduced the rate of accidents significantly. 

Police officials, who planned to organise more checks on the highways, have filed around 6,000 cases against the commuters, who violated traffic rules for the last six months. “Majority road accidents were occurring between 3 pm and 9 pm. We had taken special drives on drunk and drive and booked cases against 50 persons, who were sentenced to 3-day jail recently. Two-wheeler accidents are also on the rising even though we made an appeal to bike riders to wear helmets to prevent mishaps,” said the District SP PHD Ramakrishna. 

Consequently, 35 per cent of road accidents have reduced due to special drives, he added. In fact, 182 km stretch on the NH-16 in the district had witnessed three accidents at least a day. 453 fatal road accidents recorded in 2016 and 401 in 2017. 1,018 non-fatal cases were also registered in 2016 where as 918 cases in 2017. In 2016, the total accidents recorded were 1,511 when compared to 1,367 in 2017. 507 death cases registered in 2016 and 449 cases in 2017. 1,919 received injuries in 2016 when compared to 1,653 such cases in 2017.

Data of accidents reveal that about 4.1 per cent of youngsters below the age of 14, 33.1 per cent people between 15 and 24, 21 per cent people between 21 and 35 years and 17.8 per cent persons between 35 and 44 years affected in road accidents and lost their lives. Consequently, keeping a vigil on the trend and in a bid to reduce the volume of fatalities across the district, police officials have formed 15 teams involving officials from other line departments such as RTC and RTA and conducted raids in 2017. 

The joint teams have taken up special drives in the district. As part of them, police, RTC and transport authorities have inspected traffic violations at five vulnerable sections on the National Highway between Kavali and Tada and Naidupet to Pellakur. The departments had continued similar operations again during April this year.

Interestingly, accident rate usually goes up during April, May and June because of heavy traffic due to holidays and marriage season. The special drive during these three months had reduced the accidents.

Police earlier conducted a massive survey on the vulnerable areas on the national highway involving civil engineering students across the district for finding the black spots for taking up future measures to control the situation. 

Police also geo-tagged these spots for continuous observation. “More deaths due to road accidents than the murders in the district. So, we are planning to continue special drives in association with other departments to reduce road fatalities,” the SP said.

BY P V Prasad