Date:28/03/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/03/28/stories/2006032816320300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Accidents claim five in city and suburbs

Staff Reporter

Unsafe driving, drivers' errors in judgment responsible: police

CHENNAI: Road accidents on Sunday and Monday claimed five lives in and around Chennai, highlighting the need to strengthen traffic police operations in extended areas of Greater Chennai police district.

Police, however, argue that most accidents occur due to unsafe driving practices and error in judgment of the vehicle drivers.

Around 4.30 a.m. on Monday, Pandiarajan, a milk vendor in Chintadripet, died after his vehicle hit the median near Radhakrishnan Stadium on Gandhi Irwin Road in Egmore. Police said the victim was taking a `U' turn when his vehicle hit the median and fell. He sustained head injuries and died en route to hospital.

Vehicle runs over beggar

In the second accident in Saidapet, a beggar woman was run over by an unknown vehicle. Police said the victim, Saroja, a pavement dweller, was sleeping near Tod Hunter Nagar bus stop. Police said they were unable to trace the vehicle.

The remaining three accidents were reported on Sunday.

Rickshaw overturned

Early on Sunday, an autorickshaw driver died after his vehicle overturned near Radhakrishnan Stadium on Gandhi Irwin Road in Egmore.

Police said the driver, Mani of Perambur, came to Egmore railway station around 5.30 a.m. While he took a `U' turn near the Radhakrishnan Stadium, his vehicle hit the median and overturned. The driver sustained serious injuries and was admitted to the Kilpauk Medical College hospital, where he succumbed to injuries later.

The second accident was reported in Tirumangalam. Police said S. Ettiyappan (26) with his nephew S. Vigneswaran (10) and wife Anandhi in the pillion were returning home on a two-wheeler after visiting relatives in Koyambedu.

Around 11.40 a.m., they were near the junction between Mahatma Gandhi Nagar and 100 Ft road in Tirumangalam. A trailer hit the two-wheeler from the rear. Ettiyappan and Vigneswaran sustained serious injuries and died en route to hospital while the woman fractured her right hand, police added.

The third accident took place on East Coast road at Injambakkam. Police said Srisha (22) of Porur was on her way to Mahabalipuram in a car with her friends. Around 1 p.m., when they were near VGP Golden Beach, the car rammed into a stationary MTC bus. Srisha was admitted to a private hospital in Adyar, where she succumbed to injuries in the evening, police said.

"Accidents self-inflicted"

City traffic police authorities said the two accidents that occurred near the Radhakrishnan Stadium in Egmore were self-inflicted.

When asked about the alarming increase in the number of fatal accidents in the city and its suburbs, a senior officer said failure of human judgment and unsafe driving practices on the part of motorists were responsible.

Counselling for lorry drivers

The traffic police authorities held a meeting with tanker and tipper lorry owners and warned them of severe action against erring lorry drivers. They also plan to organise counselling cum training programmes for lorry drivers.

A few years ago, people from the suburbs travelled to the city for work. With the setting up of IT companies on the outskirts, people now commute from the city towards the suburbs. This contributes to the increase in the number of fatal road accidents, they added.