Orthopedic surgeons from across India run to spread road safety message in city

Coimbatore: About 2,000 people, including 500 orthopedic surgeons, their family members and corporate professionals participated in a 5km run on Saturday to create awareness on road safety.
The doctors, from across the country, were in the city to attend the Indian orthopedic Association conference, IOACON 2018.

Formula One racer Narain Karthikeyan and deputy commissioner of police (traffic controls) Sujith Kumar flagged off the run, conduced in association with Ganga Hospitals and Uyir trust.

Annually, about 1.5lakh two-wheelers and 23,000 four-wheelers get added to Coimbatore city’s roads, Karthikeyan said. “It is time to refurbish the process of issuing licences. Speeding vehicles on roads are more dangerous than the racing sport. Youngsters have to discriminate between driving on the road and driving on racetracks. Recent vehicles incorporate excellent technology to ensure safety,” he said.

Uyir and IOACON2018 conducted the event to emphasize the fact that in India, a person dies in every three minutes in road accidents, orthopedic surgeon and organizing chairman of IOACON 2018 Dr S Rajasekaran said. “Major road mishaps happen due to carelessness, uncontrolled speed and poor road infrastructure. As much as 69% people injured in accidents are good drivers but they undergo traumatic conditions due to the carelessness of others.”

The run, which began at CODISSIA grounds, went upto a thaneerpandhal and returned to the grounds.

Students of NGP Institutions Soniya, J Kaviyarasi and V Gokila won the first three places in the female category. In the male category, Kribakaran was first, Anand in the second position and Gowtham in the third position. Under the category of orthopedic doctors, Anudhaya Siddhartha, Umesh Yadav and Srinivasa Reddy won the titles respectively. Urmila Kurana won in the female orthopedic category.