The number of accidents in the State has increased significantly in the past few years, with Goa accounting for 0.9% of the total number of accidents in 2015. It is estimated that 400 people die every day in India. Ponda sadly tops the charts in the state with 676 accidents taking place this year till November, 33 of which have been fatal. The main cause of accidents, sources say is rash and negligent driving.
The increasing number of vehicles on the road also contributes to the rise in accidents. Bad roads is another major factor in causing mishaps.
According to interviews conducted by Herald, people in Ponda have become impatient and everyone seems to be in a rat race to get to their destinations. Youths zooming past carelessly without any respect to other vehicles is slowly becoming the order of the day.
The police are also hapless as they cannot monitor all the roads where people drive in rash and negligent manner. If a person leaves his home in the morning, his return is often not guaranteed in the evening with accidents taking place in every nook and turn on the roads. Sources say that speed and not rules are governing the Ponda roads.
Till November this year 676 accidents have occurred in the Ponda taluka with two-wheelers involved in 303 mishaps followed by cars (173), trucks (68), Jeeps (21), tempos (27) tankers (23) mini buses (16) buses (12), pick-ups (7) three-wheelers (5) and others (18).
Ponda taluka, named as the Temple City, and famous for cultural activities is slowly gaining in notoriety as the accident prone zone in the State.
Sources say that parents allowing minors to drive vehicles is another factor which has to be stopped immediately. When the minors are involved in accidents, sources say that parents use their influence with police and politicians to quash the cases registered against them.
People in Ponda are now worried about the increase of youths driving rashly and with high speed, paying scant respect to the other vehicles on the road.
Sources say that the government should come down heavily on the minors and also their parents who allowed their kids to drive without a proper licence.
Driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs is also a concern nowadays. Hit and run cases are also increasing, where drivers just leave the victims to fend for themselves.
Ponda Taluka is slowly gaining popularity for easy availability of drugs and alcohol due to which the young generation ruin life by causing accidents under influence of liquor putting to risk life of others as well as of self.
There were fatal accidents at Talavlim and Borim which were caused by drivers under influence of drugs. Following these accidents Talavlim locals also led a morcha demanding police check the drug menace.
Uday Naik, a Ponda resident, said the young generation drive their vehicles rashly causing accidents. When anybody questions them about their rash driving they are least bothered and tend to quarrel and argue with those advising them.
Viraj Sapre, a social worker, said that traffic awareness and counselling is needed among parents who try to show off their prestige and wealth by purchasing the latest bikes for their children who are often minors.
According to Viraj Constant interference of MLAs and Ministers in accident matters force police to curb their action on offenders.
Ganesh Naik said that people are driving their vehicles in careless manner. Many bike riders use helmets only when they see traffic police on road to avoid challans and not for the safety of their life.
Rash driving makes difficult to control speed and leads to fatal accidents. Many people talk on mobiles while driving. Some of the roads are same which existed 25 years ago while the number of vehicles has increased.
According to Social Worker Daku Naik life has gone into the fast lane with people losing their patience whilst driving.
According Drama Producer and Director Vijaykumar Naik people want to enjoy every moment of their life and don’t pay attention whilst driving.
There is need of counseling, says Naik, so that people are guided how to drive.
Ponda DySP Sunita Sawanth said that police conduct raids from time to time whenever information of drug peddling is received by them and seize drugs and arrest the culprits to avoid crimes or accidents.
People say that there should be Speed Governance for all vehicles and road dividers installed where the roads are broad enough to make it one way.
Speed breakers with sign boards will also help in reducing accidents, feel some residents.
