THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The installation of surveillance cameras in the city may be proceeding at a snail’s pace. But the statistics available with the Traffic Police reveal that the effort has started yielding results, with the number of casualties following road accidents in the city limits falling to two so far this month.Speaking to City Express, Thiruvananthapuram Traffic Assistant Commissioner (South) P Mohanan said that the efforts made by the City Traffic in tackling the burgeoning rate of road accidents and deaths are paying off. “Though the programme is in the budding stage and we are still in the second week of April, the impact of sophistication has started delivering results. The data with us says that we had two casualties in the city limits till mid-April. This is against the average number of casualties of 6-8 a month,” he said.According to him, the number of accidents has also fallen to 68. The Traffic Police maintain that the effect of modernisation of the Department is the driving force behind these positive developments.The two deaths following road accidents were reported from Ambalathara and Plamoodu. Both the deceased were bike riders. While a speeding KSRTC bus caused the death of a two-wheeler rider near Ambalathara, it was a lorry that ran over another two-wheeler rider near Plamoodu. Going by the statement of the witnesses, overspeed and violation of traffic rules had resulted in both the accidents.In the accident involving the lorry, the lorry driver was the culprit. He did not bother to stop the vehicle even after the signal had turned red. The lorry roared past the other vehicles, finally crushing the motorcyclist.According to a recent survey carried out by Traffic officials, 25 per cent of the accidents that occur in the State are caused by drunken driving.Another reason behind the decline of the accident rate is attributed to installation of speed radars along the National Highway and the Kazhakkoottam-Kovalam Bypass.The speed radars are deployed in the accident-prone area from the Infosys compound near Technopark to Kovalam. As many as 15-20 offences relating to overspeed are registered every day. Almost 150 cases are registered daily for driving without helmets, while 8-10 are booked daily for driving under the influence of alcohol.
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