Hyderabad: With around 23 per cent of the total deaths in road accidents in the city accounting for pedestrians, the Hyderabad traffic police are planning to take up more initiatives to bring down pedestrian deaths in accidents.
A total of 39 pedestrians of the total 173 persons died in road accidents in the first half of the year 2021 on the city roads while the remaining 134 were motorists. Ironically, the pedestrians in most cases were not connected to traffic rules violations but still lost their lives due to the mistake of the motorists who were found to be having flouted road safety rules carelessly.
In the previous year i.e., 2020, a total of 32 pedestrians were killed while during the corresponding period in 2019 a total of 53 persons died in accidents on the roads of Hyderabad.
In its efforts to ensure safety of pedestrians, the traffic police in coordination with various associated government agencies have been initiated several steps.
Additional Commissioner (Traffic), Anil Kumar, said the safety of pedestrians is a main concern for the traffic police. In coordination with the GHMC initiatives have been taken on providing zebra crossing, pedestrian refuge islands, Foot over Bridges (FoB) and pelican signage.
“The local traffic police officials under the supervision of the ACPs visit the spot of pedestrian death in accident. Along with the local law and order police, we are taking up necessary steps to prevent repeat of accidents at the spot,” the official said.
The police have also asked the GHMC authorities to erect Foot over Bridges (FoBs) at various stretches where there is a heavy pedestrian flow. “We are barricading the road medians to prevent random crossing of roads. Also, we are taking up regular drives to clear encroachments on the footpath so that pedestrians can use them and stay safe,” Anil Kumar said.
Educational institutions being closed due to the Covid 19 pandemic, the traffic police are reaching out to the children through social media platforms and create awareness among them on the need to follow traffic rules for their own safety as well as other road users,” he said. The effort to reach out to the students was being taken up in coordination with the management of educational institutions, Anil Kumar added.
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