Date:09/01/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/01/09/stories/2006010901490200.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Creating awareness about road safety

Staff Reporter

The one-day programme was organised as part of Road Safety Awareness Week

BANGALORE: It was a special programme organised to "train the trainers" and raise a band of volunteers to educate the public on various aspects of road safety. It was organised as part of Road Safety Awareness Week, which concluded on Saturday.

The would-be trainers, majority of whom were from the R.V. Engineering College, Bangalore, felt that deaths in road accidents were due to delay in providing medical care.

They were participating in a one-day programme organised by the Transport Department in association with SEEK Foundation and the Rotary Club of Kengeri here recently. Interacting with them, G. Parameshwar of the Comprehensive Trauma Consortium, Bangalore, revealed that a large number of deaths (68 per cent) in road accidents occur not because of the fatality of the accident, but due to the delay in providing medical care during the "golden hour." Only 22 per cent of deaths occur on the spot, he said. Providing the victim relief within an hour of the accident, also known as "golden hour", can help save a number of lives, he noted. He urged the volunteers to spread the message of the availability of voluntary organisations offering ambulance services to the public.

Quoting a survey, Dr. Parameshwar said of the 8,000 accidents reported in Bangalore, 15 per cent were fatal.B.C.S. Kumar, road safety specialist, urged volunteers to educate people about the importance of good personal habits, which in turn, enhance safe riding.

There was also a session on "Pollution to solution" conducted by K. Raghothama Rao, chairman of SEEK Foundation. He said, "Today's problems are not due to the noise or pollution. They are because of the silence of the good." He exhorted the volunteers to educate drivers about safe and pollution-free driving methods.

R.S. Raghunath, retired Deputy Commissioner for Transport, conducted another session on scientific driving training. Regional Transport Officer of Rajarajeshwari Nagar Rajasimha was present.

The RTO, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, had organised an eye-screening camp for professional drivers to identify colour blindness and night blindness.