Cops offer tea, water to drivers on East Midnapore highways to avoid road mishaps

Kolkata: In a unique bid to avoid road accidents, East Midnapore Police are serving tea to bus and truck drivers, offering water to splash on their faces and examining if anyone is drunk driving at night. The steps were taken after six people were killed in an accident near Contai a few days ago.

In a desperate move to tackle road accidents, the district police have started stopping vehicles on Highways and offer them water to wash their eyes and faces to avoid falling asleep and also serve hot tea to fight off their tiredness during the night.

A senior police officer in the district said they were carrying out the exercise in late evenings and early mornings.

The drive has been taken after police found that many drivers fall asleep while driving during the night or in early morning hours. This main purpose of the campaign is to spread awareness among the drivers.

Police are conducting the campaign in areas like Kolaghat, Mecheda, Nandakumar, Chandipur, Contain, Ramnagar.

Locals have also welcomed the move taken by the district police administration. Police also examine whether the drivers are drunk while driving. Road accidents have become a menace in Bengal as a result of which Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has led a campaign to promote safe driving.

After the campaign has started, the number of road accidents have gone done down drastically. Following the Chief Minister's instruction, police are conducting rigorous campaigns to check road accidents.

"We have watched that many accidents are taking place in the wee hours when drivers feel drowsy. In an attempt to avoid the drivers from falling asleep, police personnel are offering tea to the drivers and also give water so that they can put it on their faces," a senior police officer in the district said.

It's a good step. If the drive is continued, it will yield good results. Drivers do get drowsy late at night. At this time of the year, visibility also becomes poor, the officer added.