According to the transport department, 10,043 people died in 20,951 road accidents in the state in 2021. About 82 per cent of these accidents were due to speeding, 5 per cent because of driving in the wrong direction and 13 per cent of deaths were due to other reasons including drug and mobile phone use during driving.
ACS (transport) Abhay Kumar said these facts emerged following an accident audit conducted last year.
Chief minister Ashok Gehlot said the untimely death of more than 10,000 people every year in road accidents in the state is a matter of deep concern.
In such a situation, preventing road accidents should be the main priority of the state government.
Gehlot directed that strict enforcement of road safety rules to prevent accidents.
The chief minister at a high-level meeting directed that strict action should be taken against speeding, overloading, drunken driving, etc.
He also directed the officials to study the innovative steps taken in other states and also adopt modern techniques to prevent road accidents.
He also suggested an effective ban on the sale of substandard helmets. Besides driving licence should be issued only after a thorough examination of driving skills and safety rules. Touts and middlemen are rampant in the RTOs in issuing driving licences without proper tests.
Gehlot said initiatives should be taken to make vehicle movement safe on national highways by forming a team of experts to suggest measures to prevent road accidents.
The transport department on Wednesday issued directions to act against overloading and overcrowded vehicles. Abhay Kumar directed officials to identify accident-prone routes and take action. He said operators of big commercial vehicles should be directed to get their drivers and operators trained to follow the rules and regulations.
The medical department was also directed to upgrade the community health centres to primary trauma centres at the earliest so that the injured in road accidents could get immediate medical help. Medical personnel should also be ensured to reach the spot immediately in case of a road accident. He directed the NHAI to use only Advanced Life Support (ALS) technology-based ambulances to transport accident victims.
