HYDERABAD: Director-General of Police Ravi Gupta advised superintendents and commissioners of police to conduct the Road Safety Month, declared by the Union transport ministry, with utmost caution. The observance ends on February 14.
Gupta told senior police officials and those in the districts that road accidents should be controlled through better road engineering, enforcement of rules, education of motorists and quick response to emergencies. He noted that most of the victims of road accidents were young persons.
Gupta held a video conference with police superintendents and commissioners of all the districts at the DGP's office on Tuesday. Transport commissioner Buddha Prakash, additional DGP, road safety, Mahesh M. Bhagwat, Hyderabad police commissioner Kothakota Sreenivasa Reddy, DIG A.V. Ranganath, road safety SP Gone Sandeep and others participated.
He said that a number of vehicles were being added over time and that accidents were increasing as the motorists were not taking adequate precautions. He said that 7,500 people had died in road accidents in Telangana state and 1.68 lakh in 2022.
District police officers said that some of the reasons for road accident deaths were motorists not wearing helmets or seat belts, speeding, dangerous driving, driving while talking on a mobile phone.
Gupta suggested that road safety clubs should be formed in vulnerable areas, along with district and commissionerate road safety bureaux.
He said that the possibility of purchasing speed guns and breathalysers should be examined through funds collected from traffic challans. The DGP said that those who save lives in road accidents should be honored. Gupta said the initiatives should not be restricted to the Road Safety Month but be continued permanently.
