Caution: 100 most accident-prone zones identified

DEATH-TRAP
Caution: 100 most accident-prone zones identified
The Times of India

Bangalore: Beware, exercise caution. For, the city boasts of 100 most accident-prone zones.
Like the BTM 100 feet Ring Road which is monstrously traffic-laden, the West of Chord Road’s Dhobi Ghat junction with its abrupt right turn, Kamaraj Road which has gained notoriety for accidents at night, Old Madras Road near NGEF which ranks high in skid and swerve accidents.

The traffic police, in tandem with an NGO, have compiled a comprehensive list of such dangerous spots. Called ‘black spots’ in traffic engineering parlance, these locations have been so designated based on data showing that accidents occur here with unerring regularity.

These 100 places, for the reference of traffic police, have been further classified into fatal, non-fatal, drunken driving accidents, fourwheeler sensitive spot, et al. Explains additional commissioner (Traffic) M N Reddi: “Based on the causation of these accidents, the classification helps us in coming up with preventive or alleviating measures. For instance, we find that 70 per cent of fatal accidents are caused at night. Another common factor is that there are more accidents when heavy vehicles like buses have to turn right on arterial roads.’’

With ammunition on these danger spots in place, do the police plan to take preventive or remedial measures? “We have a step-by-step m e t h o d which follows the pattern of Problem Identification , Conclusion, Analysis and Spot Visit. Usually in the last stage we come up with counter measures, like closing a median if it’s causing abrupt-tur n accidents, or increase illumination at places which are dully lit,’’ says Reddi.

To come up with data on these 100 black spots, the traffic police used a software called MAAP, which uses a STICK diagram to essentially identify the characteristic and patterns of accidents.

And the results — no place with vehicular movement seems safe. But some relief: the problem of 100 black spots finds redressal in the chief minister’s recently launched BTRAC programme.