Shimla: In last three years the state has 9377 road accidents, in which 3500 people lost their lives and 16,593 sustained injuries, the Chief Minister stated while launching state level road safety awareness campaign here today.
Recently a private bus accident in Kullu district and HRTC bus accident in Shimla had shook the nation and bad condition of the road and overcrowding of the bus was the main reason. Beside unsafe road, rash driving is another reason for the road casualties and to aware the commoners, the state government started a road safety awareness campaign.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur asked everyone to adopt the road safety as culture of their lives and make it a mass campaign. He reiterated government’s commitment to check the road accidents and announced to make provision of better roads, crash barriers, well trained drivers and mechanically fit vehicles for ensuring road safety.
The Chief Minister said that being a hilly state, the road accidents in the state are of serious nature and the death toll is also usually high as compared to the plain areas. He said that although all are well aware of the traffic rules and provisions but usually their approach is causal and most often become victim of road accidents. The people have to realize that these rules are for their safety and they should follow them with utmost responsibility.
Jai Ram Thakur said that analysis of the road accidents has proved that the number of death toll is always at higher end on rural roads as compared to the urban areas. The main reasons for the road accidents include rash and drunken driving, overloading, not using the seat belt, use of music system while driving and overlooking the traffic rules.
He stressed the need to involve the Yuvak Mandals, Mahila Mandals, Nehru Yuva Kendras, Self-Help Groups and students in this campaign to achieve the desired results. He also appealed all the citizens to cooperate in implementing the provisions made by the government for ensuring road safety.
