Wider roads leading to bad driving

Pedestrians are paying with their lives for speed maniacs yen for thrill

Throwing all speed limit restrictions to the winds, overzealous and high-strung motorists are making the hapless pedestrians and fellow commuters pay with their lives.
Take the instance of Bellary Road, one of the main arterial roads to enter the City from the northern side.

Motorists frequently violate the speed limit of 80 km per hour on this stretch causing numerous accidents.

In a mishap last week, a speeding taxi knocked down an onlooker who had stopped to enquire about an earlier accident. The driver could not control the vehicle and caused the accident, although a portion of the road was blocked for painting.
Ramu, who works at a petrol bunk on the stretch, says, "Motorists violate the speed limit as the traffic is thin early in the morning."

Francis, who regularly commutes on Bellary Road, remarked that many motorists drive on the wrong side of the road by crossing the divider.
"Such defiance of rules increases the risk and imperils fellow motorists’ lives. It has also contributed to the increase in accidents," he said.

According to Panduranga H Rane, DCP Traffic (West), although the road is capable of an increase in speed limit, overspeeding is a cause for concern.
"It's true that there have been many mishaps due to overspeeding. We have taken measures to curb it," he told Deccan Herald.

Interceptors
Apart from solar traffic signals and the Blackberries, many other state-of-the-art technological equipment viz. surveillance cameras and intercepting vehicles are being used on this thoroughfare to discourage overspeeding, Rane added.  
The two intercepting vehicles stationed at Chikkajala and between Hebbal and Yelahanka not only detect a vehicle's speed but also capture its registration number and details of the driver.

Further, a surveillance camera fixed near the Canadian International School, Yelahanka also captures details of the violators. Besides, it records the complete on-goings at the traffic junction.

"It is connected to the Traffic Management Centre, Ashoknagar. Then it is forwarded to the servers of automation centres from where a notice is sent to the concerned violator. The camera also throws light on the intensity of a traffic jam. Further, movements of the traffic police are captured," Rane added.
This apart, there are three pelican lights at Amruthahalli, Venkatala and Bagaloor Cross and eight traffic signals between Habbal and Yelahanka.
According to Raghavendra, a Police Sub Inspector attached to the RT Nagar Traffic Police Station, there has to be a mutual understanding between the police and the motorists.
"The fine for traffic violations should be increased in order to discipline the commuters," he observed.
The condition of Hosur Road and Outer Ring Road is no better. While the former provides entry to the City in the south, the latter connects all major highways.
B A Muttanna, DCP Traffic (East), defends overspeeding saying that it is human tendency to cross the limits when roads are in good condition.
While Hosur Road has a speed limit of 60 km per hour, the six-lane elevated expressway entails of an 80 km per hour restriction.
The Outer Ring Road has a speed limit restriction of 60-80 km per hour. None of them is followed by the motorists.
In many instances, motorists zoom up to 120 km per hour on the elevated expressway.
On the other hand, crossing Hosur Road is no easy either. Pedestrians have to wait for a while before they can safely traverse the stretch. As a result, many fatal accidents involve pedestrians.  
"We are doing our best to check traffic violations through the interceptors and speedometres," he concluded.
DH News Service