TATAA to hold walk on road safety tomorrow

Hyderabad: Traffic Awareness To Avoid Accidents (TATAA) is an initiative of Dr Sarath Chandra Mouli Veeravalli, the clinical director of the Rheumatology department, KIMS, Secunderabad, to create safer roads in our society, with a motto of zero-tolerance to road accidents.

TATAA is organising a 2K Awareness Walk on Road Safety this Sunday at 6.30 am, at Jalavihar, Hyderabad, and simultaneously at 24 other locations across AP and Telangana. Telangana Transport Minister Vemula Prashanth Reddy will be attending the walk as chief guest. Officials from GHMC and several corporate leaders are expected to take part in the walk.

Road accidents have developed into a major health crisis across the world. Every year over 1,65,000 people die because of road crashes in India and the proportion of those who get injured is nearly three to four times higher. The pedestrians and two-wheeler riders are among the most affected victims in all the road traffic deaths causing considerable economic losses to individuals, their families, and to the nation.

Tragically, youth is the largest casualty of road accidents. Distracted driving has been identified as one of the key reasons for causing road deaths. Some of the leading causes of distracted driving accidents include using a cellphone while driving, as well as eating food or drinking from a mug or bottle while behind the wheel.

The other causes being speeding, drinking and driving, changing lanes abruptly and bad weather conditions. TATAA says it committed towards driving awareness about road safety and reducing road fatalities. It urges people in Hyderabad to take action immediately.