HYDERABAD: Lack of driving skills and frequent violations of traffic rules and safety instructions on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) are major contributing factors to accidents, according to officials. Despite these challenges, patrol teams and ambulances are promptly responding to emergencies.
In a recent incident at Keesara, a woman lost her life in a car crash for failing to wear a seatbelt, even though the airbag of the vehicle worked as designed.
The Rachakonda and Cyberabad commissionerats cover the 158-km ORR, the former saw 42 accidents and the latter 126 so far this year. Last year, the figures were 58 and 80, respectively.
Narsingi ACP Venkata Ramana Reddy pointed out that many of the violations observed in such accidents were caused by drivers lacking basic driving skills and driving vehicles that are not roadworthy. Common violations include over-speeding, negligent driving, and failure to wear seatbelts.
The officer explained, “Many drivers lack fundamental driving skills, which leads to reckless and negligent driving. Additionally, vehicle maintenance, such as proper working lights, radium stickers, and indicators, is often neglected. Some drivers are unaware of the appropriate distance they should maintain when traveling at certain speeds."
The tragic incident at Keesara also shed light on the effectiveness of patrol teams and ambulances operating on the ORR, which is closely monitored by the HMDA’s growth corridor.
CGM Ravinder Reddy explained that ten trauma centres and 10 ambulances are stationed along the ORR stretch to handle emergencies.
“These vehicles are available 24/7 and are geo-tagged for real-time tracking. Victims are treated at the nearest trauma care center, and if necessary, they are transferred to hospitals,” Reddy added.
In addition to medical emergencies, the patrol teams also assist in clearing debris, arranging fuel and removing broken-down vehicles and spare parts from the road. The toll-free number 14449 receives calls daily and the response is prompt, Reddy said.
Latest statistics
Cyberabad 2023 2024*
Total accidents on ORR 80 126
Fatal accidents 32 31
Deaths 41 38
Non-fatal accidents 48 98
Injuries 60 128
Rachakonda:
Total accidents on ORR 58 42
Fatal accident: 23 17
Deaths 27 18
Non-fatal accidents 35 25
Injuries: 44 52
* So far this year
