State mulls over road safety policy

With an average of 12,000 people killed in road accidents every year and over 25,000 left handicapped, the state is mulling at formulating a comprehensive road safety policy.

With an average of 12,000 people killed in road accidents every year and over 25,000 left handicapped, the state is mulling at formulating a comprehensive road safety policy.

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The policy will look at ways of improving the traffic movement and roads. It will also help introduce new concepts such as restricted hours of driving, banning sale of alcohol on highways, insurance and health checks for drivers, medical aid on highways and better direction signs.

MP Supriya Sule met chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, deputy Ajit Pawar, and home minister RR Patil on Tuesday and presented a draft plan on the policy formulated on the basis of studies conducted by the police and experts commissioned by the YB Chavan Centre.

"The plan gave a few good suggestions on improving road safety. We will be looking into it," said Chavan.

Speaking to Hindustan Times Sule said, "We wanted to understand why we are losing so many people, especially youth, in road accidents. We found that after small changes in the system, we could improve a lot in terms of road safety."