December 27, 2011: Biker rams into traffic cop
A biker intentionally rammed his bike into an on-duty traffic cop at a traffic junction near Bata showroom, Ashram Road. Instead of stopping and paying the fine for his mistake for jumping the signal, the rider ruthlessly crushed the cop's leg and rode away.
January 1, 2012: Teenage girl kills one near Himalaya Mall
Nineteen-year old Labdhi Shah, allegedly in an inebriated state, mowed down Gaurav Rajyaguru, 24, with her car near Himalaya Mall at 4.45 am on the first day of the New Year. Rajyaguru was on a bike and was coming out of a nearby society.
January 10, 2012: Sabarmati hit and run: Rogue car yet to be traced
Two children, playing near the road, were hit by a speeding Verna car near Visat petrol pump in Sabarmati area. After hitting a 10-year-old boy, the car, in its bid to escape, struck the other child.
January 23, 2012: Car kills one near Sola, another critical
In yet another hit and run incident, a speeding Accent car hit a carpenter from Rajasthan, killing him on the spot. The driver didn't stop to help the victim.
In a majority of these cases, drivers were speeding way above normal limits, resulting in the accidents. According to experts in road safety, lack of knowledge about their own vehicles as well as limitations as human beings are major reasons for the alarmingly high rate of fatal accidents in the city.
According to Samir Pathak, road safety expert and automobile consultant, youngsters need to be trained in safe road driving to avoid such incidents. "They must be made aware of risks in rash driving when they apply for driving licence. Then, they will be more vigilant and reduce their speed," said Pathak.
Youngsters in India are rarely made aware about perils of rash driving as there is no culture of imparting training before acquiring a driving licence in our country, says Pathak. "They feel they know how to drive, and thus are never keen to understand the basics of safe driving. In western nations, practical and theoretical knowledge (of driving) is a must before applying for a licence," added Pathak.
Lack of knowledge about vehicles, as well as their own limitations, are major reasons for deaths in car accident.s "How much distance does a car cover when applied brakes at a speed of 40 km/h? If you ask this question to 10 people, they will give different answers and all wrong," said Pathak.
"In an emergency situation, their car skids when they apply brakes. This is because they are not aware about Tyre Wear Indicator marks on tyres. If the marks come parallel with tyre surface, they must be changed immediately to avoid accidents.
Sadly, no one knows about the markers," said Pathak. Loud music in a car distracts the driver, one of major reasons for accidents in which youngsters are involved. According to DCP (Traffic-East) Siddharth Khatri, people do not know traffic rules. "Vehicle owners must adhere to traffic rules for their own safety.
We are trying our best to avoid mishaps by organising traffic awareness programmes," said Khatri.
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