Wednesday, 15 MAY 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The increased number of road accidents can be attributed to overspeeding and using mobile phones while driving, orthopaedic surgeon and Padma Shri recipient Dr BKS Sanjay said. Addressing the media at the Press Club on Tuesday, he said that to raise public awareness on the rising number of road accidents, he and the SHEWA have organised a week-long series of public awareness lectures to mark the eighth UN Global Road Safety Week from May 10 to 14 in Dehradun. He emphasised that WHO reports revealed that nearly five lakh accidents occur every year, resulting in nearly 1.5 lakh fatalities. The frequency of accidents grows along with the nation’s population and the number of vehicles. According to data from the Transport department, India has only one per cent of the world’s vehicles but accounts for 11 per cent of the world’s accidents. Road traffic accidents have become an epidemic in our country, he added. Dr Sanjay emphasised that 90 per cent of these accidents are caused by drivers’ negligence and that they can and should be prevented. Additionally, he stressed on the importance of wearing helmets to mitigate the impact of road accidents.
Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Gaurav Sanjay stated that the major causes of road traffic accidents are overspeeding, drinking and driving, using mobile phones, sleep deprivation and driver fatigue. He said that human resources are the greatest resource on Earth and suggested that 20 per cent of fatalities in accidents involving two-wheelers and 20 per cent in accidents involving four-wheelers can be prevented simply by wearing helmets and seat belts respectively. He appealed to the public to learn and follow traffic rules and also urged the government to educate and enforce these rules.
