On an average, one person is dying every hour in road accidents in the State, which witnessed a death toll of 8,440 in 2018.
Transport Department Assistant Commissioner S.A.V. Prasada Rao on Sunday revealed that pedestrians accounted for more than 10% of the deaths, which exposed a lack of driving sense.
“Over 50% of those killed in the road mishaps in 2018 were in the productive age group of 15-35,” he said, briefing on the road safety scenario. More than 33% of those who died were either riding or pillion riding a two-wheeler and the fault of the driver was the cause in 85% of the accidents. More than 80% of the accidents were minor in nature.
Awareness, enforcement
Speaking at a State-level meeting on road safety here, T.M. Krishna Babu, Principal Secretary, Transport, observed that education and enforcement would help minimise fatalities on the roads across the State.
The State government had allotted ₹120 crore for road safety which could be used for improving infrastructure, including speed guns and road safety measures, he said.
Professor C.S.R.K. Prasad, National Institute of Technology, Warangal, stressed the need to have an exclusive State policy on road safety.
Transport Minister Perni Nani directed the transport officials not to spare any heavy vehicles carrying passengers, including APSRTC services, if drivers found driving the vehicles in a drunken state on the national highways.