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Roads as Killers

 Driving in Kerala is scary. Walking on the road is deadlier. Both can kill you sooner than any other cause. Look at statistics.


Covid kept the accident numbers low in 2020. Lockdowns kept people at home. As soon as people were given liberty to drive around, they started driving people to their death. Nearly 55,000 accidents in 2023! That is 150 accidents a day! 

Two-wheelers cause most accidents. Youngsters form the lion's share of the victims. Nearly two-thirds of the victims are in the age group of 18 to 45. 


My house is situated on a road that is designated as state highway. Actually the road's construction was never completed due to the kind of politics Kerala usually had and hence the highway suddenly ends in the middle of nowhere. Hence the traffic isn't much. But youngsters come from God-knows-where on their roaring bikes which fly on the roads. The speed and the noise, both together can be murderous. A lot of people die  before reaching the age of 60 in this area and I have wondered whenever I see the obituary of such deaths whether the person's life was brought to an end by the noise of the bikes that ply here. If we add those deaths to the stats, road victims will be many more. And the youngsters are the killers. 

Before the road in my village became a highway, there was serenity here.

The above picture belongs to the pre-highway days. Now the same road looks like what's below. 


The width has doubled and there's a lot of traffic too. There are no pedestrians now. Everyone has a vehicle. Everyone is a potential killer. That's development, I guess. 

Another contrast:

Pre-highway days

Highway
Why I chose to write on this is my increasing hesitancy to take my car out these days. Even if you are a cautious and meticulous driver, the other guy out there can ruin your driving delight. Why is everyone in such a hurry?

No, these youngsters aren't going to do anything important in a hurry. Too many youngsters here are drug addicts. Too many are driven by chemical intoxications to their own as well as others' deaths. 

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Comments

  1. marietta pereiraMay 22, 2024 at 5:45 PM

    I was shocked and saddened to hear about a tragic accident in Pune, a few days ago where a 17-year-old under the influence of alcohol got into a Porsche and rammed into a young couple in their twenties killing them. The young couple were techies who had come to Pune from Madhya Pradesh. The 17-year-old, the son of a real estate developer was given "VIP" treatment in jail and held for 15 hours. It's good that you have brought to light this sorry state of affairs.

    ReplyDelete
  2. marietta pereiraMay 22, 2024 at 5:59 PM

    He was also asked to write a 300word essay on accidents.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalMay 22, 2024 at 6:04 PM

      The police are helpless in a country that is run by two known criminals. VIPs and their wards as well as their goons are the real killers on roads...

      Delete
    2. AnonymousMay 23, 2024 at 1:19 AM

      The latest update says that the Juvenile court of Pune has cancelled his bail.

      Delete
  3. magiceyeMay 22, 2024 at 6:46 PM

    This is the result when a country is car centric. Most of Europe is now becoming bicycle centric and the infrastructure is being changed accordingly.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Liz A.May 22, 2024 at 9:24 PM

    Cars can be a menace. But we've built our lives around them. It's going to take some effort, but we could get away from such reliance on them. Unfortunately, those that wish to keep us on the road have monetary reasons to fight us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalMay 23, 2024 at 6:45 AM

      In my state, traffic violation has become a major source of revenue for government.

      Delete
  5. Samuel GeorgeMay 23, 2024 at 1:38 AM

    Relevant post. As a guy belonging to age group 18-25 and with experience in mingling with others of the same age, I can clearly say that teenagers inherently have a false feel of invincibility, adrenaline rush and overconfidence due to their age. As a result, they always have a tendency to speed whenever they get an opportunity to drive. Either they don't care about the consequences or forget about it just for the sake of temporary fun.

    Yes sir. Two wheelers are the riskiest to operate due to,

    •Stability: Two-wheelers are inherently less stable than four-wheelers. They are more prone to accidents caused by loss of balance, skidding, or other factors related to their design.

    •Exposure: Riders of two-wheelers are more exposed to the environment compared to those in four-wheelers. In case of a collision or accident, the rider is more likely to suffer injuries due to lack of structural protection around them.

    •Visibility: Two-wheelers are often less visible to other drivers on the road, increasing the risk of being involved in accidents due to other drivers not noticing them.

    •Skill requirement: Riding a two-wheeler requires a higher level of skill and coordination compared to driving a four-wheeler. Inexperienced riders may find it more challenging to handle a two-wheeler safely.

    •Vulnerability to road conditions: Two-wheelers are more vulnerable to road conditions such as potholes, gravel, or wet surfaces, which can increase the risk of accidents.

    Accidents can be reduced to certain extent by giving license after proper training and only to those people who can ride/drive properly.

    Finally, everything depends upon the driver. No matter how much powerful our vehicle is, the driver is responsible for everything.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalMay 23, 2024 at 6:46 AM

      Thanks a ton, Samuel. You've added the technical details.

      Delete
  6. Vinay NagarajuMay 23, 2024 at 6:09 PM

    Wow! 150 accidents a day!! that paints a picture and so stressful as well - As the number of vehicles increase, there's a need of increased governance, better rules and most importantly stricter enforcement - these things can help bring the number of accidents down significantly

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalMay 23, 2024 at 9:50 PM

      Rules and fines don't help in a situation where youth have turned irresponsible.

      Delete

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