Drowsiness behind one-third of ORR accidents in Hyderabad

Accidents on Hyderabad’s Outer Ring Road are largely caused by drowsiness, reckless driving, overspeeding, and tyre bursts. Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar has directed officials to prioritise road safety, improve emergency response, and enhance awareness among motorists.

Hyderabad: A total of 33 percent of accidents on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) in the past four months were attributed to drowsiness/sleep deprivation, 25 per cent due to reckless driving, 15 percent due to overspeeding, and 14 per cent due to tyre bursts.

Hyderabad Commissioner of Police, VC Sajjanar, who held a meeting with different department officials on Tuesday, said that accidents on the ORR can be prevented by extensive awareness among motorists.

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He also advocated for data-driven safety enhancement measures and implementing a safety ranking protocol for expressways.

Sajjanar, instructed that utmost priority must be given to road safety on this route, which witnesses an average daily traffic of 2.80 lakh vehicles. Noting that an average of five to six accidents are currently occurring every day, Sajjanar urged the officials to work in coordination and take steps to bring this number down to zero.

The Hyderabad CP, suggested that safety messages should be sent to the mobile phones of commuters as they enter the ORR.

Sajjanar directed officials to take measures to reduce response times during emergencies and recommended utilising the services of traffic marshals if necessary.

He said that vehicles must not be stopped on the ORR under any circumstances, except in the event of a breakdown. If stopping is unavoidable, commuters must immediately inform the helpline, ensure adequate safety precautions, and park the vehicle exclusively in the extreme left lane.

Transport Department Commissioner Ilambarthi, stated that the department is taking all necessary measures to curb accidents. These include an increase in CCTV surveillance, implementation of recent Supreme Court guidelines and various other measures. He mentioned that directives have already been issued to officials to place special emphasis on inspecting vehicle fitness and tire quality.

He also expressed the need to conduct a mandatory monthly review meeting exclusively on ORR road safety.