New Delhi: 2013 remained comparatively safer for those on the roads as it saw the lowest number of fatalities and road accidents in the past one decade.
According to Delhi Police, pro-active measures including regulation of traffic rules, improved visibility on roads, prevention of traffic violation and crackdown on drunken driving led to a decline in the numbers of road accidents and fatalities.
The city saw 1,693 road accidents in which 1,725 people died in 2013 while in 2012, there were 1,801 deaths in 1,757 accidents. The number of deaths due to road accidents in 2011 was 2110. In 2006, the number of deaths in 2135 road accidents was 2,178.
Delhi Traffic Police gives the credit to its research cell for playing a crucial role in bringing down the number of road accidents by identifying accident prone areas. Installation of new traffic signals, blinkers and pedestrian signals with audio facility for visibly challenged persons at accident prone locations and conflict junctions has also helped, said a senior Delhi police official.
According to police, intensive drive against drunken driving and strong action against offenders like arrest, jail term also played a role.
Listing out the various steps taken by Traffic Police in 2013, Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi said, "Introduction of e-challaning system, traffic management at 41 corridors, intensive action against TSRs for permit violations.
"Remodeling and upgrading of motorcycles, strict action against commercial transport vehicles, intensive enforcement against defective number plates, introduction of auditory signals and conversion of all signals to LED aspects," he said.
In 2013, 24,564 vehicles were prosecuted for drunk driving. The figure has gone up from the last year`s 23,829 clearly showing stricter action against drunk driving. Delhi traffic police department plans to come up with more advanced techniques for better management of the traffic in the capital city.
