Lockdown in March led to a sharp drop in road accidents and casualties happening because of it. In March alone, road accidents reduced by at least 22% and deaths by at least 20% in the state compared to the corresponding month last year.
Sources in the road safety cell , UP, said that the drop in road accidents and casualties thereof is not only limited to the month of March 2020 but the entire 2019-20 period. Barring the months of August and November in 2019 and February in 2020, road accidents were less throughout the year. This is after at least three consecutive years that road accidents have seen a drop in the state.
Much of it has also to do with the amendments in the MV Act which revised the amount for traffic fines considerably, said sources.
There were 4.13% less road accidents that took place which also reduced number of deaths by 2.4% in the state compared to 2018-19. In 2019-20, over 41,494 road accidents took place in UP killing about 22,115 people.
While in 2018-19, UP reported 43,282 road accidents in which as many as 22,663 people died.
Strict enforcement and awareness generating efforts by authorities have worked favourably for the state.
In UP, at least 6,949 DLs were suspended for not following traffic rules; around 68 lakh challans were issued against traffic violations in 2019-20 which was the number up from about 48 lakh challans issued in 2018-19.
Maximum challans, 27.7 lakh were issued against those not wearing helmets; 4.6 lakh for not wearing seat belts; 1.05 lakh for talking on mobile while driving; 1.1 lakh against overspeeding; 19,693 against those driving drunk and another 60,913 against those who parked vehicles dangerously on road.
Source: The Times of India
Leave a Reply