Motorcycle rallies on ‘road safety’

July 23, 2014

A rally being taken out by Transport Officials as part of the Traffic Awareness Week on the Beach Road in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday. Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

The Hindu A rally being taken out by Transport Officials as part of the Traffic Awareness Week on the Beach Road in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.

The maximum number of accidents occurring on the roads involved youth. Their rash behaviour, tendency to take risks and not adhering to safety rules like wearing helmets and seat belts is contributing to an increase in accidents on the roads.

The Transport Department organised motorcycle rallies to sensitise motorists on the need to wear helmets and seat belts as part of the ongoing road safety awareness campaign on Tuesday.

Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao inaugurated the rally on the Beach Road by riding a motorcycle, wearing a helmet. He said it was unfortunate that many youngsters were losing their lives in road accidents due to their risky behaviour like performing feats, over speeding and not following the rules. The fatalities were more due to not wearing helmets by motorcyclists and not wearing the seat belts by car users.

Deputy Transport Commissioner M. Prabhu Raj Kumar said that even the slightest negligence on the road could cause fatal accidents. He called upon parents not to buy motorcycles for their children till they are 18 years in age. The department has intensified checking of school buses following a rise in the number of accidents involving school buses.

Newly recruited women Assistant MVIs of the Transport Department drove motorcycles wearing helmets. One of them even drove a ‘Bullet’. The motorcycle rally, which began at the Kali temple went up to The Park hotel junction and returned to the starting point. The participants distributed pamphlets on road safety to passers by.

Later in the evening, another rally was taken out from Jagadamba junction to NAD Kotha Road and back.

Regional Transport Officer A.H. Khan, MVIs M. Kanaka Raju, K.V. Prakash and M. Butchi Raju were among those who participated in the programme.

Source: The Hindu