AGARTALA, December 9 (TIWN): Road traffic accidents—the leading cause of death by injury and the tenth-leading cause of all deaths globally—now make up a surprisingly significant portion here in Tripura.

Lack of parking place, poor awareness among locals and defunct signal posts have led to a spurt in accident related cases in the capital city Agartala and other parts here in Tripura. The town, which is expanding at a fast pace, has no parking space for vehicles. The locals face difficulty in commuting on busy thoroughfares as vehicles are parked on the roads leading to traffic congestion. Accidents are frequent on the road as traffic personnel use hand signals which are not clearly visible during night time. The pedestrians are also at risk of getting mowed down by speeding vehicles. The traffic and the police personnel are taking no step to keep a tab on the speed limits of vehicles other than staging a barricade at some parts of the city to nab the two-wheeler drivers who are not using helmets.

Talking to TIWN today Smriti Ranjan Das (SP, Traffic) informed that to curb the rise in road mishaps here in the capital city and other parts of the state a meeting was held recently in regard of widening and straightening of road. Besides, the accident prone zones had already been identified, said Mr. Das.

Rash and drunken driving and unscientific road designs have contributed to increasing accidents in the city.

Earlier Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said that the transport department is procuring sophisticated equipment to impose speed limit on vehicles on national highways and other important roads. But till today everything turns bleak. Beside, though the electronic traffic signals were proposed to be installed here in the capital city and this even seems to have diminished when even today the state govt. has not taken any certain steps to curb the increasing rate of road mishaps here in the capital city.

In the state recently, exposure to potential road traffic injury has increased largely because of rapid motorization, coupled with poor road conditions, rapid population growth, lack of safety features in cars, crowded roads, poor road maintenance, and lack of police enforcement.

In some of the states of the country, road networks are designed from the perspective of the motor vehicle user. But the state Tripura and other such states can take lessons from safety conscious road design in the developing states.

Road traffic injuries are predictable and preventable, but good data are important to understand the ways in which road safety interventions and technology can be successfully transferred from developed countries where they have proven effective. Awareness of the consequences of road traffic injuries is lagging among policymakers and the general public. What's needed is incorporation of comprehensive road safety programs into national planning in developing countries.

As in developed countries, driver impairment is an important component of road traffic accidents in developing countries. Driving at excess speeds, while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, while sleepy or tired, when visibility is compromised, or without protective gear for all vehicle occupants are major factors in crashes, deaths, and serious injuries.