Now, BMTC on accident control mode

Now, BMTC on accident control mode
The Times of India

Bangalore: 77 fatal accidents. 13 major accidents. 376 minor accidents. That’s BMTC’s track record in 2005. Add to that, two fatal accidents on Wednesday. Reason enough to hit the panic button and roll out an action plan.

BMTC has decided to introduce a monthly workshop on road safety awareness for their drivers. The first of the series will be on Friday at ADA Rangamandira. It will start with a group of 600 drivers, comprising new recruits and those with a history of rash driving. The panel will feature medical and traffic experts.

NIMHANS neurosurgeon Dr Gururaj will speak on nature of accident-related injuries and its implications. Karthikeyan Naidu, psychologist, will give tips on how to combat high-stress levels.

Among the traffic experts, retired Regional Transport Officer (RTO) B C S Kumar will throw light on the role of RTO while dealing with accidents. ACP and Police Training Institute principal T V Prabhakar will talk on the Motor Vehicle Act and its implications. Police inspector Yogananda will revise basic road rules.

Apart from this, there will be a film show featuring two documentaries. Drivers: How Alert Are You? produced by Karnataka Film Industry Development Corporation (KFIDC). “The other one is yet to be finalised,” says BMTC HRD manager K N Ingalagi.

BMTC school buses: A special session has been charted out for drivers of BMTC school buses. Currently, BMTC has a fleet of 160 school buses. “Traffic rules and decorum are observed very well when it comes to school buses. If we can inculcate even a percentage of that, it would benefit the society greatly,’’ says BMTC director (security, vigilance and environment) P S Sandhu.

As for the workshops, they are a feature that’s here to stay insist BMTC officials. The results will only be reflected in 2006.