More than 4000 people lost their lives in road accidents during last year in Haryana, where nearly 1,200 accidents prone sites have been identified by the State Government. As the Haryana Government initiated its road safety week starting January 11, the status report on road safety in the state presents a dismal picture. Despite the state government’s claims of rectifying the accident prone sites in the previous years, nearly 10,000 road accidents were reported across the State in 2014.
The road accidents account for a large number of deaths and injuries every year in Haryana. As per the latest statistics with the state Transport Department, 9794 road accidents were reported in the state till November 2014. During this period, 4080 people were killed while as many as 9529 were injured in road accidents on Haryana’s roads.
Though the State Government is yet to compile the data of December 2014, the number of road accidents and deaths in the last year are likely to exceed the figures reported in the previous years.
According to the State Transport Department, year 2013 had reported 10,134 road accidents, 4,383 deaths and 9,182 injured people. In the previous year 2012, 10065 road accidents, 4446 deaths and 9452 injured people were reported in the state.
“There are nearly 1200 accident prone sites identified across the state in the past. Many such sites have been rectified and the process is ongoing to repair such accident prone areas,” said an official of Haryana Transport Department while talking to The Pioneer.
The official said, “During the ongoing road safety week, directions have been issued to the concerned officials in each depot to identify accident prone sites and coordinate with the concerned department to rectify such sites. A fresh report regarding the status of accident prone areas would be prepared by the state government.”
The state government, which has a long way to go to ensure safety of people and restrict fatal road accidents, has planned a series of activities during the ongoing 26th road safety week.
The activities including awareness campaigns regarding road safety through banners, posters, pamphlets, road safety seminars and programmes has been lined up during the road safety week with this year’s theme “Safety is not just a slogan; It’s a way of life”.
The official said, “Training programmes for drivers and operational staff would also be organised to educate them about road safety, first-aid box and other necessary information.”
The Transport Department would also organize camps to check the eye sight and fitness of all the drivers during the week. Also, checking campaigns will be launched in coordination with district administrations on all major highways to book the drivers indulging in over speeding and drunken driving.