------------------------------------------------------------------------ Do GOACAN a favour, circulate this email to your family members, relatives, neighbours and friends. Help others be BETTER INFORMED ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------- Documented by Goa Desc Resource Centre (GDRC) Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ State witnesses alarming rise in number of road accidents ------------------------------------------------------------ by Shaikh Jamaluddin
Accidental deaths in Goa have reached alarming proportion. Statistics provided by the traffic department show that 29 people lost their lives in the month of November 2007 itself. During the current year, 362 people lost their lives compared to 302 in the previous year. In 2006, road accidents claimed 243 lives. There were around 24 major accidents reported in November while in the previous year there were only 19. This proves that road accident casualties have increased by 26 per cent. As of now, 225 grievous accidents have been reported while last year there were 213 grievous accidents reported. Last year there were 1,376 accidents with minor injuries but this year the figure has touched 1467. In November alone, around 151 cases were reported while the number of minor accidents was reported as 1,701. Last year there were 1,509 minor mishaps. Till November this year around 266 persons suffered grievous injuries. Around 61 pedestrians became victims of rash and negligent driving this year while last year there were 58 pedestrians who were killed. Sources informed that around 125 riders were killed in accidents while 38 pillion riders, 23 drivers, 15 passengers, 13 cyclists and three others died. The number of motor vehicle cases booked by the traffic police includes 1,82,661 while last year the figure touched 1,52,829. There has been an increase of 29,832 cases and in November alone there were 11,406 cases booked by the police at various police stations. Penalty collected by the traffic police from traffic violators amounted to around Rs 2,25,43,800. In November itself the police collected Rs 15,81,650 as fines. The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr Ujjwal Mishra revealed that the Goa police are in the process of studying each and every accident and its causes. And they have come to the conclusion that some of the accidents occurred on account of faulty road engineering while some were due to reckless driving. He said others occurred due to technical failure in the vehicle but the reasons for almost all the accidents invariably pointed to over speeding. In order to prevent road accident casualties in the near future, he stressed on two-wheeler drivers wearing helmets. "Helmets do not save lives but it protects the head from major injuries, which invariably causes death in road accidents,'' he added. And after analyzing the causes of the accidents, Mr Mishra further informed that a concrete plan is being worked out to minimise accidents. ------------------------------------------ The Navhind Times 30/12/07 page 2 ------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------- GOA CIVIC AND CONSUMER ACTION NETWORK ------------------------------------------------------------- promoting civic and consumer rights in Goa ------------------------------------------------------------- GOACAN Post Box 187 Margao, Goa 403 601 GOACAN Post Box 78 Mapusa, Goa 403 507 mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] --------------------------------------------------------------
