Maximum accidents in the State are attributed to overspeeding followed by negligent driving
Himachal Pradesh, popularly known as Devbhoomi, is a favourite tourist destination. It has limited air and rail connectivity and roads are the lifeline not only for the people of the state, but, also for the development of tourism, hydropower projects and the rapidly expanding industrial hubs. The state has witnessed rapid expansion in terms of highway construction and broadening of roads. However, road accidents remain one of the main concerns. Human errors are responsible for over 93 per cent of the total accidents in Himachal and about 30 to 35 per cent accidents occur on the national highways.
Till October 15, 2021, 817 persons were killed and 2,617 injured in 1,862 accidents. In hilly roads, curves are designed for maximum speed of 45 km per hour speed, but drivers often negotiate a curve at a speed of 70 km to 80 km per hour. That causes accidents. Climate factors like landslides that block roads along with heavy rains and flash floods also result in roads and bridges being washed away, leading to loss of life and property. Remote areas have the problem of less number and frequency of buses and other vehicles which leads to overcrowding, increasing the chances of accidents.
The Road Accident Data Management System (RADMS) says in three years ending June 2019, the maximum accidents in the state are attributed to over speeding, followed by dangerous and negligent driving, wrong overtaking, bad road conditions, drug and alcohol abuse and other reasons including adverse weather conditions and mechanical faults. During this year, 98 per cent of the accidents that involved vehicles plunging down hillside occurred in rural areas while only two per cent of such road mishaps took place in urban areas. Out of these, 418 accidents (22.4 per cent) were caused due to vehicles veering off the road and rolling down steep hills, claiming 392 lives and injuring 672 persons.
District-wise accident mapping, analysis and micro-management have helped the police identify mishap-prone stretches and reasons for the accidents. A data bank has also been created on the basis of daily accident mapping with the categories of vehicles involved, dangerous and vulnerable stretches, black spots, timings and the reasons for accidents. According to Director General of Police, Himachal Pradesh, Sanjay Kundu: "Some of the safety measures adopted include Doppler radars to check speed and deployment of traffic police at vulnerable points. The focus of police has shifted to road safety. We have requested the state government to provide interceptor vehicles to control over-speeding and traffic police stations on busy national highways."
The students and faculty innovators of IIT Mandi in Himachal Pradesh have developed a smart road monitoring system that will help prevent accidents occurring at sharp turns and enhance traffic management, especially in the hilly areas. The research team has created the system that can be used for speed detection, vehicle counts, enhanced traffic management, by employing the micro-electro-mechancial systems (MEMS) and internet of things (IoT) technologies. According to KV Uday, Assistant Professor of School of Engineering, IIT Mandi: "The developed system comprises two layers of detection units to alert the drivers. It will detect the type of vehicle passing through the unit and if it is heading toward the curve, the drivers on the other side will be alerted about the incoming traffic through a signal."
Bad roads and negligence of drivers result in death and disability which need to be ruled out by taking special initiatives like providing training to the drivers and the vehicle's road worthiness must be maintained to prevent mishaps. Roads safety infrastructure like crash barriers and parapets along with proper signage should be ensured.
(The writer is a senior journalist and Chairman, Panwar Group of Institutions, Solan, Himachal Pradesh. The views expressed are personal.)