Assam witnessed 23,191 road accidents from the year 2018 to 2020 accounting for as many as 8803 fatalities, with over-speeding causing about 75 per cent of the mishaps involving 6149 two-wheelers.
The worrying fact is that about 56 per cent of the victims are in the age category of 18-35 years, which is the most productive group.
These facts emerged during the State Road Safety Council meeting here which was chaired by Assam transport minister Chandra Mohan Patowary. The meeting was attended by representatives from Assam Police, state PWD, NHAI, NHIDCL, excise, health and education departments.
Patowary reviewed the action taken by the stakeholders on the implementation of road safety laws in the state. The transport minister asked the NHAI, NHIDCL and state PWD to take proper steps and corrective measures in respect of damaged signs, potholes, crash guards and rumble strips within February 15, 2022. Image: Assam transport minister Chandra Mohan Patowary flagging off the TIVs
Meanwhile, an intensive enforcement drive is being carried out throughout the state against driving without helmets by both rider and pillion rider, drunken driving and over-speeding of vehicles in order to achieve zero accidents on the last day of this year.
The exercise is being carried by police, transport and excise department officials. The Assam government has over the past few weeks been acting tough against commuters violating traffic safety rules.
Since December 1, 2021, more than 11,000 cases of riding without helmets have been detected by the state transport department.
The newly deployed TIVs will be operational in Baksa, Dhubri, Hojai, Karbi Anglong, Morigaon, Sivasagar, Kamrup and Lakhimpur districts and also will be used by the central squad of the commissioner of transport.
As a part of the initiative to achieve the goal of zero accidents on the last day of the year and overall reduction of accidents throughout the state, the transport minister flagged off nine highly advanced traffic interceptor vehicles (TIVs) from the Assam Administrative Staff College here on Tuesday.
The newly deployed TIVs will be operational in Baksa, Dhubri, Hojai, Karbi Anglong, Morigaon, Sivasagar, Kamrup and Lakhimpur districts and also will be used by the central squad of the commissioner of transport.
Earlier, 15 TIVs were deployed and 11-speed guns were distributed for effective enforcement of traffic regulations.
It may be mentioned that the TIVs are fitted with automatic number plate recognition system (ANPR) cameras, which may be used not just in detecting over-speeding cases, but also for other offences like non-wearing of helmets, seatbelts, etc. along with breath analysers to enforce against drunk driving. Image: The TIVs
The transport minister appealed to the people of Assam to abide by the traffic rules to make Assam accident-free and save precious lives.
"On December 31, 2020, and January 1, 2021, alone, 29 lives were lost in 69 accidents. By following all the traffic regulations, let us move towards 2022 with a pledge to make Assam roads accident-free," Patowary said.
Principal Secretary, K.K Dwivedi asked the health department officials to identify and upgrade hospitals along the highways as trauma centres.
He also asked the NHAI and NHIDCL officials to construct truck bays to avoid accidents on the highways.
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