Most accidents happen between 6pm-9 pm & 9am-12pm, says study by Pune city traffic branch

A study undertaken by the Pune city traffic branch has revealed that most accidents resulting in fatalities happened between 6 pm and 9 pm, while accidents in which serious injuries were reported happened between 9 am and 12 pm

A study undertaken by the Pune city traffic branch has revealed that most accidents resulting in fatalities happened between 6 pm and 9 pm, while accidents in which serious injuries were reported happened between 9 am and 12 pm. The study was carried out from January to December 2021.

Accident-prone spot at Gangadham road in Pune. (Rahul Raut/HT PHOTO)

The traffic branch has advised commuters to be careful while travelling during the rush hours.

The study states that 80 persons were injured between 9 pm and 12 pm while 42 fatal deaths took place between 6 pm to 9m and the victims belonged to the age group between 18-25 and 25-35.

Rahul Srirame, deputy commissioner of police (DCP) (traffic), said, “The traffic department has studied the data and deployed experts to find out more about the accidents during peak hours in mornings and evenings. The city police are already taking remedial measures like suggesting changes to the PMC in cases of wrong road and chowk designs and also creating traffic awareness in all sections of the society.”

The traffic branch in its study also mentioned that the roads have transformed from tarring to concretisation which has, in turn, increased speed, leading to an increase in road accidents including rising incidents of rash and negligent driving. It has also pointed out that despite the phenomenal increase in the number of vehicles on city roads, the road infrastructure has not kept pace leading to congestion and road accidents.

The traffic department has pointed out reasons like speeding, reckless driving, not wearing a seat belt, breaking traffic rules, driving in an inebriated condition, wet or rain-soaked roads, potholes, bad road conditions, faulty traffic signals, red light jumping and animal on roads and other factors for the rise in the number of road accidents.

The study states in 2021, as many as 399 accidents in which serious injuries were reported left 457 persons injured and between 9 am to 12 pm and from 6 pm to 7 pm, an aggregate of 80 persons sustained life-threatening and serious injuries which shows that the commuters on way to work and while returning home became victims of road accidents.

Prashant Inamdar, founder of Pedestrian First, said, “Such surveys should be undertaken and necessary steps must be taken to reduce the number of accidents. Traffic and roads are a topic with large ramifications and more detailed studies and practical action is needed to make the roads safer for Puneites.”