Widespread public awareness can minimise road accident statistics: CM Adityanath

Lucknow, Sep 6 (PTI) Acknowledging the issue of road safety as a challenge, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday emphasised the need for increased public awareness to reduce the worrying rates of fatalities resulting from road accidents.

"We lose more people in road accidents annually than we lost in three years during a global pandemic due to COVID-19," Adityanath said, addressing a gathering here.

He pointed out that the safety of every individual on the road is a collective responsibility, urging the public to remain vigilant about road safety.

"We lose youngsters. Families are wiped out. This is a challenge for our society, state, and country. The Centre and the Supreme Court have also expressed concern several times that road safety is a challenge for us," Adityanath said.

Adityanath stressed that through improved coordination and widespread public awareness, road accident statistics could significantly decrease on a national level.

"Remember, if a passenger's life is saved because of your actions, it reflects positively on you. People will begin to associate the Transport Corporation with safe travel. Conversely, if a passenger's life is lost due to your negligence, the reputation of the Transport Corporation suffers, leading to financial losses for you as well," the chief minister said.

Highlighting the need for fit and healthy drivers, Adityanath directed officials to organise medical camps every three months. "Our goal should be to ensure that anyone we employ as a driver, particularly those who handle our buses, undergo regular medical and physical fitness assessments," he said.

Emphasising the importance of bus drivers' vision, the chief minister claimed, "Some drivers are functioning purely by guesswork as they are not able to clearly see what is ahead of them." He reaffirmed that driving a bus carries significant responsibility and that those in charge must prioritise the safety of all passengers. PTI NAV ANM ANM MPL MPL