Condition of roads alone is not cause for accidents, Says retired Traffic Police Officer Shankaregowda

Mysuru: The condition of roads alone are not responsible for accidents. Just blaming them does not serve any purpose. The road users who violate traffic rules are also responsible for accidents, said Traffic Police Officer Shankaregowda (Retd.).

He was reacting to the widespread opposition to the straightening and widening of the curve near Jaladarshini Guest House, close to Kalamandira on Hunsur Road by various organisations in city, on Oct.23 and said that if one follows the traffic rules strictly then accidents could be prevented.

“Accidents occur only when the motorists drive recklessly violating all traffic rules. Accidents are occurring at this spot due to the violations and not because of the curve. There are lot of ways to prevent accidents like putting curbs on speed, placing warning sign boards, stopping drunken-driving and strict enforcing of rules for using mobile phones while driving,” said Shankaregowda.

The easier solutions to prevent accidents near the curve is to put up scientific road humps and painting them regularly. One more solution is to build Scientific Semi Rotary Circle like the ones near Kurubarahalli Circle and Millennium Circle, LIC Circle near Bannimantap.

For instance, lot of accidents used to occur near LIC Circle, but after the Semi Rotary Circle was put up, accidents reduced drastically, he said and added, it is also important to do a study of the cause of accidents scientifically and how to prevent them.

“I have served a major part of my service in the Traffic Department and that too in Mysuru itself. If I have to share my views based on this experience, accidents that have occurred near the curve opposite Jaladarshini Guest House, have all occurred either in middle of the night or early in the morning. And, the reason for this is not the curve but due to negligence of the drivers. Hence, instead of blaming the road and taking strict action against such erratic drivers, the State Government is trying to find fault with the road and wants to spend crores of rupees to straighten and widen it. This is sheer waste of public money and there is no point in splurging it deliberately,”   said Shankeregowda.