Date:01/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/01/stories/2008010159881000.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Road safety awareness to be stepped up

K.T. Sangameswaran

CHENNAI: “Drive to care, Not to dare” will be the theme of 2008 Road Safety Week celebrations that will begin on January 1.

Distribution of pamphlets on road safety among drivers, medical check-ups and eye camps, installation of signboards and traffic signals in accident-prone zones, special drives to check overspeeding and overloading, campaigns in schools and colleges and ensuring safety provisions in vehicles of educational institutions would be among the activities during the 19th Road Safety Week.

A phenomenal growth of vehicles and failure to observe road safety rules claimed 11,130 lives in 54,553 accidents in Tamil Nadu in 2007 till November 30.

Stringent action

Transport Commissioner C.P. Singh said stringent action was being taken against those who drove vehicles under the influence of liquor and those causing fatal accidents.

In a press release, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Monday said: “The awareness should be among everyone—be it pedestrians, passengers, riders of two-wheelers and drivers of light and heavy commercial vehicles. Everyone should follow traffic rules without fail. The road safety week is being observed to stress their importance.”