Speed main cause of rise in number of pedestrian deaths

Speed main cause of rise in number of pedestrian deaths

The Hindu

WHILE THE conversion of several roads into one-way has eased traffic congestion in the city, the move has also contributed to an increase in the number of road accidents, particularly those involving the pedestrians. About 300 pedestrians are killed and many injured in road accidents in the city every year.

Analysing the causes for road accidents involving pedestrians, senior police officials say the increased speed levels is the important cause for such accidents. After several roads in the city were made one-ways, the speed levels have increased. This has put pedestrians at a disadvantage, they say.

Violation of the one-way rule has also resulted in road accidents, particularly during the night and in the early hours. As there are no traffic policemen to check violations during the night, people tend to drive on the one-way roads, resulting in collisions with vehicles and accidents involving pedestrians, the officials say.

To check accidents caused by violation of one-way rule during the night, the police have taken up special drives.

The police say that drivers are tempted to drive speedily particularly on the outer ring roads. Further, the pedestrian behaviour itself is one of the main causes for the accidents. People tend to walk on roads and cross the roads where they are not supposed to, they say.

Another major cause of such accidents is the inadequate pedestrian facilities all over the city. There are no pedestrian subways, foot overbridges and zebra crossings on many busy roads, including J.C. Road and Kempe Gowda Road.

Hosur Road, Sarjapur Road, Bannerghatta Road, Tumkur Road, Mysore Road and the outer ring roads have virtually turned into death traps for pedestrians, they say. On the entire stretch of Hosur Road, there is not a single pedestrian crossing. Pedestrian safety has been ignored, says an official

As a large number of industries, educational institutions and business establishments are situated on Hosur Road, there is heavy pedestrian movement on the road. Most of the pedestrians who have got killed on Hosur Road are those who were drunk.

An official suggests that apart from providing good and fenced footpaths and educating people on pedestrian behaviour, site-specific solutions should be found to bring down the number of road accidents.

Having more pedestrian subways and foot overbridges and checking the speed limit of vehicles can reduce the accidents involving pedestrians, he says.

The police have suggested to the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike to provide sub-ways and foot overbridges at 105 places, which have been identified as accident-prone spots.