Killers on the road : 834 lives lost in last 7 years Road safety, responsible driving
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834 lives lost in last 7 years and this makes it to over 100 lives lost per year in the same span of time. And the lives were lost in 3123 road accidents in the said period. Statistics which have come from the Traffic Control of the State Police Department and while there are no details on where the road accidents occurred, the figure paints a somewhat frightening picture of the roads in Imphal and other places in Manipur. The reasons for road mishaps could be varied, ranging from wild and rash driving to the hands of sudden and unseen happenings on the road while one is driving to at times totally avoidable fatal road mishaps. Other than the cold statistics of the number of deaths, the report from the Traffic Control of the State Police Department also gave a detailed account of the number of injuries, besides the death cases. Road menace and it is not quite uncommon to see perfectly well behaved and mild individuals turning into brash and insensitive beings once they sit behind the wheels and this is what is deeply worrying. Maybe it is a reflection of the devil may care attitude and such an attitude can prove fatal when combined with a selfish outlook, a thought process that refuses to accept that the next person has as much right as anyone else to use the road. Driving through the roads of Imphal can be quite a hazardous experience for anyone who drives through the capital city. It is not so much the number of vehicles out on the roads but is more about the refusal to think about the other road users. And such a mentality becomes all that more visible when any of the suited, booted gentlemen who come under the VIP tag armed with security escorts take the road and expect everyone to give them the right of way with their loud horn honking or the sound of siren coming from the beacon lights fitted atop the vehicle. A sure signal to the common people that they must move out of the lane to give the VIP the right of way, never mind even if the road is crowded and there is no space to move to the left side to give them the right of way ! Keeping up with this class of people are those who think nothing about overtaking from the left, endangering the other motorists all due to their failure to give some thoughts to the other road users as well.
With easy finance now available, thanks to bank loans and other private entities, the number of vehicles has multiplied in the last many years. This can best be known from a comparative look at any leikai or leirak on the number of families which may own a car or two or a two wheeler of different makes. So from a situation when the number of family which owned a four wheeler could be counted on one’s finger tips, today it is the reverse, where it would be easier to identify the family which does not have a vehicle. This in other words should underline the point that the number of vehicles has multiplied in the last few decades but there has been no corresponding change in the mindset of the people. Something like a mindset trapped in the days of the bullock cart but driving a fancy car and the situation is just right for the traffic chaos that one sees on the roads of Imphal. Traffic chaos may also be co-related to the increase in the number of road mishaps and fatalities in the more unfortunate cases. Nobody wants to meet with any road accidents, but when the fundamentals of sticking to the basics of road safety and safe driving is not adhered to, then the script may well be ready for road mishaps. Over 800 deaths in the last 7 years is a disturbing figure and this should jolt the senses of everyone. For starters, start putting on the helmet if one is driving a two wheeler and use the seat belt when driving a four wheeler. Give some thoughts to the safety of the other road users and stop overtaking from the left. Stop showing off the VIP status with mindless honking of the horn expecting everyone to give the right of way but drive with the flow of the traffic. And yes don’t use the mobile while driving. Driving safely means driving responsibly.
With easy finance now available, thanks to bank loans and other private entities, the number of vehicles has multiplied in the last many years. This can best be known from a comparative look at any leikai or leirak on the number of families which may own a car or two or a two wheeler of different makes. So from a situation when the number of family which owned a four wheeler could be counted on one’s finger tips, today it is the reverse, where it would be easier to identify the family which does not have a vehicle. This in other words should underline the point that the number of vehicles has multiplied in the last few decades but there has been no corresponding change in the mindset of the people. Something like a mindset trapped in the days of the bullock cart but driving a fancy car and the situation is just right for the traffic chaos that one sees on the roads of Imphal. Traffic chaos may also be co-related to the increase in the number of road mishaps and fatalities in the more unfortunate cases. Nobody wants to meet with any road accidents, but when the fundamentals of sticking to the basics of road safety and safe driving is not adhered to, then the script may well be ready for road mishaps. Over 800 deaths in the last 7 years is a disturbing figure and this should jolt the senses of everyone. For starters, start putting on the helmet if one is driving a two wheeler and use the seat belt when driving a four wheeler. Give some thoughts to the safety of the other road users and stop overtaking from the left. Stop showing off the VIP status with mindless honking of the horn expecting everyone to give the right of way but drive with the flow of the traffic. And yes don’t use the mobile while driving. Driving safely means driving responsibly.