TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Sixteen persons have died in road accident in 16 days with hundreds other injured as Goa gears up to commemorate ‘World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims,’ on November 17.
On an average, 300 people die every year in road accidents in Goa. A small State like Goa has whopping 4,500 accidents per year, which works out to an average of one accident every two hours in Goa, which is a frightening statistic.
The recent spate of shocking accidents range from bus accidents, hit and run cases to two-wheeler accidents, the State’s populace is paying a heavy price for growth in vehicles and unruly traffic culture. From November 1 till date, the state has witnessed 16 deaths including 3 on Friday as well as one on Monday earlier this week.
GOACAN convenor Roland Martins said that of the total number of road accidents that happen every year, more than half are attributed to rash and negligent driving. “Most of the time, the accused just hit and run,” he said.
Martins said that there was a time when the number of accidents was high only on national highways as compared to accidents on other roads, but the situation has changed over a period of time.
Of the total 16 road death reported in last 16 days, seven include two wheeler riders and pillions while nine were pedestrians, in most of the cases the accused disappeared after the accident. The most recent death was that of Doctor Oscar Rebello’s father, who along with his wife was hit by a speeding car in the Capital city on Friday night, while crossing the road at Mira Mar.
Around a year back, the sister of Congress MLA Alexio Reginaldo Lourenço had perished in a similar hit and run.
The situation will only get worse with the state being on the threshold of what is expected to be its biggest tourist season with an unprecedented number of tourists expected to arrive. Traffic on Goa’s roads roughly doubles during the tourist season especially during the months of December-January.
Residents of the area have complained about the speed of vehicles along the Miramar-Campal road which is lined with eateries and other business establishments that often witnesses people who visit these, attempting to cross the road.
The problem with the road, people say is that it is neither a two lane nor four lane road so vehicles including four wheelers attempt to overtake and squeeze through with pedestrians unable to keep a track of which vehicle is coming from where. At night due to poor lighting by dim fancy lamps at the extreme end of the footpath, which were put for IFFI, vision is poor and motorists may not be able to see pedestrians.
According to statistics obtained from traffic cell, in 2013 till October, nearly 2500 accidents have been reported in the State. The year 2012 saw 4312 road accidents. This year the number is likely to see rise further as for last couple of days, accidents have been reported every-day. And with tourism season commencing and ahead of ten day International film festival, the Panjim and Old Goa feasts and Christmas, where the traffic rules are thrown to wind in the revelry, it is feared that the period is likely to witness more accidents and deaths.
State currently has over 9.50 lakh vehicles registered working out to more than one vehicle for two people with 70,000 adding up every year. The national average of vehicles is one vehicle for every 500 people.
