CM stresses public awareness as key to curbing road accidents

Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha on Tuesday said that the present state government is making various efforts, including the use of modern technology, to ensure road safety.

He emphasized the importance of public awareness and the habit of obeying traffic laws as crucial measures to reduce road accidents.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking the issue of road safety very seriously. He prioritized this matter by changing the law. There should be a concerted effort by all to prevent accidents. Everyone needs to be more aware. The number of road accidents is increasing day by day due to excessive speed. The present state government is making various efforts to ensure road safety. Increasing public awareness and the habit of obeying traffic laws are ways to reduce road accidents. Only awareness can reduce the number of deaths in accidents. Therefore, the state government has taken an initiative to reduce the number of road accidents through the use of modern technology," said Dr Saha.

Dr Saha said this while officially inaugurating the National Road Safety Month - 2024, organized by the State Transport Department at Swami Vivekananda Maidan, Agartala, on Tuesday.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister said, “Especially young children are more likely to be involved in accidents. Statistics show that 18 to 35-year-olds are victims of most accidents. Not only are they facing problems, but their families are also facing issues in various ways. Our National Road Safety Policy has been amended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Motor Vehicle Act 2020. The Home Department has taken the initiative to identify accident-prone areas. Measures have been taken to prevent accidents in those areas with the cooperation of the Transport Department," said Dr Saha.

He mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given special importance to reducing road traffic accidents to zero.

"We also take this matter very seriously. Rules and regulations must be obeyed to prevent road accidents. Along with that, vehicle drivers should be more careful. Various important measures, including breath analyzers, have been adopted to prevent accidents. Awareness against reckless and speeding car or bike driving can be the only way. Drivers between the ages of 18 and 35 not only get into accidents themselves but also put others in harm's way. So drive very carefully. Also, under no circumstances should you drive a car or bike while intoxicated," he said.

Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury, Mayor of Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC)  Dipak Majumdar, Director-General of Tripura Police Amitabh Ranjan, and other officials were present.