Police takes novel initiatives to curb accidents

Leaving no stone unturned, the police are taking various measures including involving the women members of a family to curb the menace of road accidents in their respective areas after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced award for the “accident free” blocks in the state.

It may be recalled that while launching the state-wide “Safe Drive Save Life” campaign on July 8, Banerjee had announced that, a block where there will be no accident, will be awarded.

The main worry is about motorbike-accidents which are comparatively much higher than that of bus or truck accidents. In a bid to make the youth realise the risk of riding bikes at a high speed and the necessity of wearing helmets, the police in some parts of the state are now planning to take help of school goers to approach the women members of the family. The reason being once the message reaches the women members of a family, they will not allow their children, husband or brothers to ride motorbikes without wearing helmet.

“Actually these are psychological matters. If mothers or sisters keep on saying not to ride bikes or drive cars recklessly to a person when he or she is in home, it keeps playing in his or her mind and the person will not take unnecessary risk while riding two-wheelers,” said inspector-in-charge of a police station in Hooghly, adding that eminent people from areas including athletes and singers may also be asked to help the police in carrying the message to women members in each and every household in a block. At the same time, checking on roads has been intensified. Besides taking legal action for flouting traffic norms, the police have also been asked to make them understand about the necessity of following the norms.

Within a few hours of the announcement, officers-in-charge or inspectors-in-charge of different police stations had started planning in their own way to check road accidents in their respective areas. Since no plan can be executed until and unless given clearance by the concerned senior police officer, no time was wasted in approaching the seniors. The seniors too gave their nods in most cases without much delay after some necessary changes and after considering that it will not have any adverse affect.

In most districts, a plan is being made centrally, following the directions given by the Chief Minister while launching the campaign and it is gradually getting circulated among the police stations. But, a respective police may add something innovative if they want. Other police stations may also follow if it is found fruitful. The same posters and banners designed for the campaigns were being put up all across the state.