Spike in road mishaps in Rachakonda. Cops makes riders purchase helmets on the spot

Rachakonda: The Rachakonda Commissionerate registered around 936 two-wheeler accidents during the period from January to September; 188 of them were fatal accidents. Many roads across the city have now turned into death traps for the motorists, mainly for the two-wheelers. It is the same scenario every year when roads get badly damaged due to rains, resulting in fatal mishaps.

A 23-year-old college student G Kavya, who was on her way to write the Railway Recruitment Board examination, met with accident near Nalgonda Crossroads on October 2. According to police officials, Kavya, the pillion rider, run over by a private bus after she fell down when her brother lost balance after hitting a pothole. This is just a case of potholes turning accident-prone across the city.

As per the data on two-wheeler road accidents, in Rachakonda Commissionerate purview, there were a total of 1,012 road accidents in 2018, out of which 185 were fatal accidents. Over 71 suffered grievous injuries and 756 incurred minor injuries in accidents involving two-wheelers. This year till September, there were 188 fatal accidents, 96 grievous injury and 652 minor injury cases.

A common cause of the accidents is bad condition of roads and, of course, reckless driving. Motorists mainly the two-wheelers ride recklessly and often trip and fall off at major potholes on the roads. If such cases happen during night on roads sans proper lighting, one can imagine the enormity of the incidents.

The constant efforts of traffic police to spread awareness and sensitise road users to followtraf fic regulations yield little due to negligence and recklessness of motorists.

Speaking to The Hans India, Mahesh Bhagwat, Commissioner of Police, Rachakonda, said, "In most of the cases that were registered, the victims were found riding without helmet. When it comes to the cases of deaths of two-wheeler riders, around 40% were due to bad roads and driving without helmet. Riders take it for granted when the traffic police upload their traffic violations through e-challan. There have been people who have more than 10 e-challans and do not even bother to pay them."

The CP added further, "However, the traffic police is roping in a few private organisations to ensure roads safe. They are donating helmets. Around 1,600 riders caught without helmets were made to purchase helmets. This, in fact, benefits the rider to go for helmet as helmetless ride would attract a penalty of Rs 1000 as compared to the cost of a helmet at Rs 800."