‘Most fatal crashes in North Goa where roads are clear’

Panaji: When traffic moves bumper-to-bumper, frustrations can spiral but speed’s lethality is suppressed. In North Goa, the maximum number of fatal accidents occur in areas with less traffic density, said SP Nidhin Valsan while speaking at a panel discussion on ‘Better Road Safety Ecosystem in Goa’, on Tuesday. These are areas such as Pernem, Bicholim, and Old Goa.
“There are areas (like Panaji and Porvorim) with an increase in traffic density, which are choked by traffic jams. However, there is no correlation between traffic jams and road accidents,” Valsan said.
“A majority of the accidents occur in areas where there is freedom to move a vehicle at its own speed.”
Valsan said that 15 years ago, two-wheeler variants were limited and their acceleration was capped. He said nowadays more options are available, and even the modest two-wheelers have the option to hit a very high speed.
“Most riders lose track of their speed and are also reluctant to wear a helmet,” Valsan said. “I too met with an accident while in college. The reason I am alive today is that I wore a helmet.” He added that efforts must be made to encourage even pillion riders to wear a helmet.
The SP attributed the increasing number of accidents in Goa to the vehicular density in the state in comparison to the size of the total population. “People have more spending power and they will buy better vehicles, but we have to improve our public transport system,” he said.
“People must try to reduce their dependence on private vehicles.”
The Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry in association with the Goa Institute of Management (GIM) organised the panel discussion on Tuesday to create awareness among citizens of the importance of road safety.
GIM professor Dr Kingshuk Sarkar said at the event that vehicle purchases are rising in Goa after the pandemic owing to which there is a need to regulate the number of rented bikes given to tourists.
“There is a growing concern among locals who demand that accident-prone zones be marked to alert motorists,” he said.