UP govt to hold Road Safety Fortnight from December 15
Dec 07, 2023
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], December 7 : In an attempt to curb accidents and raise awareness on traffic rules, the Uttar Pradesh Government is set to hold a 'Road Safety Fortnight' campaign in all districts of the state from December 15 to 31.
The Road Safety Fortnight will be observed by the Transport Department through inter-departmental coordination and is part of government's efforts to reduce road mishaps by 50 per cent.
Identifying overspeeding, wrong-side driving, mobile phone usage, and drunk driving as the primary reasons behind road accidents, the state government emphasises the human error behind these disasters and seeks to address the issue by raising awareness and improving driving skills.
School vehicles will undergo fitness tests, while medical fitness tests will be conducted on drivers during the Road Safety Fortnight. Students in all educational institutions will be briefed on road safety and traffic rules during prayer meetings, and a road safety pledge will be administered. Moreover, effective patrolling will be carried out to address visibility issues during foggy conditions.
Furthermore, health cards will be issued compulsorily to commercial drivers. Task forces will specifically target and prevent overloading. The Transport Department will ensure strict compliance with orders issued from time to time to reduce road accidents.
The government has directed organising mandatory meetings of the division and district-level Road Safety Committees and has asked the Divisional Commissioners and District Magistrates to determine a day for these meetings. As per the directives issued by the Uttar Pradesh Government, representatives of the public should also be invited to these meetings to receive their suggestions on road accidents, the officials have been instructed. Additionally, subject experts and representatives of voluntary organizations can also be invited to the meetings.
According to the directives, during the committee meeting, road accidents should be analyzed and action should be taken. The result of the action should also be visible on the ground. If any driver receives more than three fines continuously, their license should be cancelled. Despite this, if a violation continues, the registration of their vehicle should also be cancelled.
Additionally, critical care facilities available in the district should also be inspected periodically so that individuals affected by road accidents can receive treatment in the district itself. Emergency responders (Aapda Mitras) have also been trained to rescue road accident victims. Arrangements should be made to inform them in case of a road accident, as per the directives
