Traffic Signals: More crashes, deaths at cop-manned junctions than at traffic signal spots

NEW DELHI: Denting the frequent notion that cops handle visitors higher than visitors lights, authorities knowledge exhibits that extra folks died in highway crashes at intersections managed by police personnel throughout the nation than at stretches the place visitors alerts did the job.
What’s extra, fatalities at police-managed intersections elevated by 17% over the earlier 12 months at the same time as 21% extra accidents occurred at such stretches in 2022.At 2,421, deaths at highway crossings regulated by cops had been increased than these at visitors mild alerts (2,238).

The information revealed within the ‘Street Accidents in India’ report launched on Tuesday exhibits that barring junctions the place flashing alerts or blinkers had been put in, the variety of crashes and fatalities elevated in any respect sorts of junctions the place there was some sort of visitors management system. Within the case of junctions with flashing alerts, the variety of crashes, fatalities and accidents fell. Flashing alerts, seen as an economical intervention, are put in at junctions to warning drivers to watch out whereas crossing.
As per the report, 7,733 folks had been injured in crashes at police-controlled junctions in 2022. Specialists mentioned whereas bodily deployment of police personnel ought to have tamed drivers from breaking guidelines, sarcastically the violations go up each time the policemen is blindsided or quickly absent.
The federal government knowledge highlights how “uncontrolled crossings” — with none visitors sign or policemen — remained the largest drawback because the variety of fatalities remained excessive at 24,857 throughout 2022 and the whole variety of injured in crashes at such crossings was 68,833.
The report additionally exhibits how drivers are sometimes extra careless at T-junctions in comparison with Y- and four-arm junctions. In 2022, the variety of fatalities in crashes at T-junctions was 12,101, greater than double of the deaths at each Y- and 4-arm junctions. Related was within the instances of individuals left injured in crashes.
“Normally, folks turn out to be extra cautious at four-arm junctions as there’s visitors circulation from all sides. However we have now discovered that drivers are careless whereas approaching the T-junctions and significantly the place small roads or lanes meet with main ones. If a driver will not be cautious whereas taking a proper or left flip, there’s a excessive danger of assembly with an accident with straight going visitors. This additionally exhibits how our drivers hardly have any sense of proper of manner,” mentioned a former prime Delhi visitors police officer.