Cuttack: The State Transport Authority (STA) has launched a two-month-long special enforcement drive to promote safety, and reduce accidents and fatalities throughout Odisha.
“The main aim of this drive is to create a sense of responsibility among the road users for prevention of road accidents and fatalities in the winter season. It has been observed that more accidents and fatalities occurred during the month of November to February,” Additional Commissioner Transport, Enforcement & Road Safety, Lalmohan Sethi said on Tuesday.
A month-wise analysis of road accident statistics has revealed that winter times, especially November to February, account for nearly 30 per cent of road accidents. This is because of low visibility caused by fog and smog during these months. Moreover, there is an increase in vehicle frequency on the road due to travelling by various road users to picnic spots and tourist destinations for the holiday season in the state including Christmas and New Year’s eve.
He further informed that the drive will be extensively carried out throughout the state with a special focus on national and state highways. “Due to continuous enforcement activities, people are following rules in the urban areas but are unfortunately not abiding by rules in rural areas and national highways where protection is much more needed. As per the data available, more accidents and fatalities are noticed in the rural areas compared to urban areas and most of the accidents occurred on the National Highways,” he said.
Stern action against those found flouting Motor Vehicle rules while the focus will be on driving without helmet and seat belt, drunken driving, over speeding, use of mobile while driving, driving by juveniles, checking of road worthiness of the vehicle, wrong side driving, driving without registration mark and dangerous parking. Special enforcement drives will be conducted jointly with police near accident-prone zones and major junctions of the highways.
