Going through the danger zone

Traffic rules are not meant for the safety of the drivers alone. They are also meant for the security of the pedestrians.

Considering the increasing number of accidents on the road, there is a dire need for people to be aware of these rules.

Many people cross roads with complete disregard for the signals and pose a serious problem for a lot of vehicle users.

Anil, an advertising executive, says, “I have faced this problem a lot of times. Once a pedestrian decided to cross the road without noticing that the light was still green. As a result, I met with an accident. Ultimately the blame was put on me for no fault of mine.”

There are many like Anil, who have to bear the brunt of the pedestrians’ negligence.
Says Nikhil, a student, “These kind of things happens almost everyday, especially at the Brigade Road traffic signal.”

“I almost met with an accident over there two years back. I was relatively speeding at 60 km/hr on the left side of a bus. When the bus stopped abruptly, a person just jumped off from the bus. Had I not applied the brakes on time, I would have hit that person,” he adds.

“Most pedestrians are unaware of the dangers of not following traffic rules. Just because they want to save a minute of their time, they opt for convenience over safety,” Nikhil says.

 And this is true especially when people do not make use of the overbridges constructed for the purpose of crossing.

Says Kiran, a student, “Even though there is an overbridge on the road
near Chancery Pavillion, I have seen many who just choose to cross the road and jeopardise their lives. So mishaps are bound to happen because this is a very busy road.”

But Lionel, a marketing executive says, “It is actually the responsibility of the government to impose stricter rules. Zebra Crossing is for the pedestrians so if more such crossings are added,it will be a lot more convenient. Also if roads have proper fencing, like the one near the Tin Factory Bus Stop, the people will be forced to use the overbridge.”

While all these suggestions need to be worked upon, it is the onus of the pedestrians to follow rules for their own safety and for the convenience of vehicle drivers as well.