HYDERABAD: Telangana is in need of urgent road safety reforms as the number of deaths from road accidents has increased for the second year in a row. According to the latest data available with the Road Safety Authority, from 6,603 deaths in 2018, the number has increased to 6,806 in 2019. Considering that the fatalities in 2017 were 6,596, the increase is alarming, which implies that all road safety efforts in last three years have not resulted in any improvement. Instead, the roads have been turning more deadly each passing year.
The situation is causing concern in police limits like Rachakonda, Vikarabad, Adilabad, Suryapet, Nirmal, Nagarkurnool, Rangareddy, Kamareddy, Cyberabad, Medak and Nizamabad, where the increase ranged from 2% to 43%. The other districts had nil or a drop in the number of deaths.
The worst statistics are from Nizamabad, where there was a 43% hike in accident deaths from just 197 in 2018 to 281 in 2019. Medak also saw a dramatic rise from 179 deaths in 2018 to 281 deaths in 2019. However, Cyberabad and Rachakonda roads continue to be the deadliest in the State. Officials from the Road Safety Authority note that the biggest culprit amongst the road users who are contributing to this mayhem are motorists on two-wheelers. Analysis of all accidents has shown that 30 to 40 per cent of motorcycle riders get killed in accidents and are the cause of 30 to 40 of accidental deaths. Not only they cause accidents, but also kill themselves and other road users. They are going to be the focus of 2020’s road safety measures, starting with the ongoing Road Safety Week.
“Our analysis has shown that between 2014 and now, the rate of accidental deaths is almost same — with 6,900 deaths in 2014 and 6,800 deaths now. It is for this reason that DGP also has dedicated 2020 as the Year of Road Safety. Our efforts will be focussed on realising that goal,” noted Additional DGP Sandeep Shandilya.
With that objective in mind, the officials are planning to take up a Korean model of tackling accident by involving citizens groups, especially mothers, to create a cultural shift towards road safety.