Deaths due to road traffic accidents have come down in the city compared to the previous year. As per the statistics provided by the police, the number of people died of accidents in the city roads have come down to 145 as on December 9 this year against 264 deaths reported in the same period in 2017.
Reducing the number of road traffic accidents and fatality on roads was one of the areas of focus for former City Police Commissioner K. Periaiah (currently IG West Zone). Various initiatives were further added up when the present Police Commissioner Sumit Sharan took over the office.
“The special vehicle checks conducted on Friday, Saturday and Sunday found very effective as they could bring down cases of drunk driving, a major contributor of accidents. Barricades placed and rumble strips to prevent overspeeding and closure of medians in accident prone areas also fetched good results,” said Sujit Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Coimbatore city.
The entire traffic police team engages in vehicle checks on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Of the 15 traffic sub-inspector (SI), two SIs supervise the checks in Traffic East and West limits upto 1 a.m. on these days while the remaining SIs wind up duty by 11 p.m.
Accidents on the stretch between airport junction (Sitra) and Chinniyampalayam reduced after barricades were placed to prevent overspeeding. Two median openings were also closed on the stretch. Similarly, barricades are placed between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. at Lakshmi Mills junction and on Tiruchi Road in front of Coimbatore Medical College Hospital where several accidents were being reported.
The police recommended the Road Transport Authority to suspend the licence of 35,363 persons this year for their involvement in six major traffic offences. Of these, licences of 17,894 were temporarily suspended.
Future course of action
The police have plans to erect medians on stretches that are lacking the facility. On Mettupalayam Road, proper medians are planned to replace large cement bricks placed to separate the road into two lanes. Increasing the height of existing medians and blocking unwanted openings on major roads is also in the consideration of the police to prevent jay walking and unsafe crossing of roads by pedestrians. Increasing the height of existing median on Avinashi Road, Tiruchi Road, Pollachi Road and Palakkad Road are in the consideration of the police.