JOIN USNight time is the worst time
Of the total number of fatal accidents in the Capital, at least 50 per cent happened at night or in the wee hours.
The reasons vary from speeding and drunk driving to hit-and-run cases and large goods vehicles mowing down people while passing through the city in early morning.
A total of 198 fatal accidents were recorded between January 1 and February 15 this year. Of them, 89 happened between 9 pm and 8 am.
At least 44 accidents happened at night between 9 pm and midnight, while 23 happened between midnight and 4 am. Another 22 fatal accidents happened in the wee hours between 4 am and 8 am.
But the traffic police do not have separate data on the number of accidents that happened due to drunk driving. This is because 50 per cent of these accidents are recorded as hit-and-run cases, in which the exact cause of the accidents is unknown.
According to traffic police officials, several police teams are out on the roads — patrolling and manning checkpoints — to catch speeding and drunk drivers during these risky hours.
But police say more number of personnel will not help prevent fatal accidents at night.
The solution is to introduce advanced traffic management technology.
“Increasing the number of policemen will not translate into less accidents. Maybe it can help avoid hit-and-run cases. But we need better technology if we have to check fatal accidents during high-risk hours,” said Satyendra Garg, Joint Commissioner of Police (traffic).
Garg said the traffic police will get speed-measuring device enabled with cameras. These will be installed at some areas to keep tabs on speeding vehicles and fine the drivers.
Gadgets at high-risk areas
“We have asked some companies to demonstrate the different set of devices they have. Once we select the right gadget, several of them will be placed at accident-prone areas where motorist tend to speed,” said Garg.
“The device will capture the image of the number plate of speeding vehicles and challans will be issued to violators,” Garg added.
He said though the traffic police are trying to buy cameras to capture image of all kinds of number plates, introduction of ‘high security registration plates’ in all vehicles will be an added advantage.