RTI Happenings: Fast driving biggest killer on Mumbai roads

[Sajib Nandi]

Reported by Ashutosh Shukla in Dnaindia.com on July 10, 2012
Fast driving biggest killer on Mumbai roads - Mumbai - DNA

The pursuit of an adrenaline rush continues to pose a serious threat to the lives of citizens in the city.

As per the RTI details procured by activist Vihar Durve, the most number of driving-related deaths in the city are caused due to fast driving. Overtaking comes in second, followed by drunk driving and insufficient distance between two moving vehicles. Durve had also sought to know the ages of people behind the wheel, which he was not given.

As per figures procured under the Right to Information Act, 2005, the total number of deaths due to fast driving stood at 1,753 from 2009 to 2011. In percentage terms, it was a whopping 80% of the total deaths caused due to other reasons in the same period.

Fast driving was followed by 363 deaths due to overtaking, 34 due to drunk driving, 24 deaths that were categorised under ‘deaths due to other reasons’ and 14 due to too little distance between two moving vehicles. There were no deaths reported due to wrong directions.

Figures, however, did not show any consistent reduction in fatalities over the three years. While injuries did reduce, the number of deaths, in fact, increased in 2010. The total numbers of deaths in 2010 due to various reasons were 794 as compared to 748 in 2009.

Responding to the RTI findings, Brijesh Singh, additional police commissioner of traffic said, “Accidents are actually at a ten-year low. Every year, there is an increase in the number of vehicles. So in comparison, there is a fall in the number of fatal accidents. With respect to speeding, we do take up road safety programs wherein we reach out to over 60,000 children every year.”

[sharmajee]

Sponsorer

RTI should be filed to know since when Mumbai Traffic Police became aware of these facts and accordingly budget and other resources used by them to tactically tackle this issue of public interest.........