22 November,2023 02:57 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. Aklekar
Mumbai Traffic Police/ File Photo
On the occasion of the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDoR), Maharashtra's Highway State Police (HSP) along with the Mumbai Traffic Police, launched a new mass media campaign to warn people of the dangers of speeding and urge them to slow down and follow speed limits while driving.
Dr Ravinder Singal, Additional Director General of Police (Traffic), Highway State Police, while launching the campaign, said: "For the last five years, crash data from the state has revealed that speeding is the main cause of fatal crashes, deaths, and injuries. Road crashes not only affect the injured or killed but it leaves an indelible mark of sorrow on their family members. I admire Mr Narkar's courage and wisdom in sharing the heart-wrenching story with us today. An increase in average speed is directly related to both the likelihood of a crash occurring and the severity of the consequences of the crash. I encourage all of you to follow speed limits."
Last year, 15,224 people lost their lives in road crashes in Maharashtra. Speeding killed 11,493 people on the roads, i.e., 75 % of the total deaths.
Launched across the state, this testimonial-style campaign, âSpeeding can cost a family its future: Story of Narkars', tells the true and heartbreaking story of a father whose 24-year-old son, Sagar, was killed as a result of speeding. It highlights the profound grief of the father, Sanjay Narkar, and ends with an emotional yet powerful plea urging drivers to slow down and think of the consequences of speeding, especially on their loved ones. The campaign has been developed with the technical support of Vital Strategies, a technical partner under the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS).
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The campaign will be aired for ten days in Marathi and Hindi in theatres across Maharashtra, along with a complementary out-of-home campaign that includes over 200 hoarding and banner spaces at the traffic aid posts in Mumbai, Thane, and Navi Mumbai and along the State and National Highways in Maharashtra and BEST bus depots, and chowkies in Mumbai. A corresponding social media campaign will also run on the Highway State Police's social media for two weeks, warning people of the dangers of speeding and urging them to slow down and follow speed limits while driving.
During the campaign, the HSP Maharashtra will continue with speed enforcement across the 98 national and 20 state highways to tackle instances of speeding. There are 96 interceptor vehicles equipped with speed guns, breathalyzers, and tint meters on Maharashtra's highways to curb the flagrant violation of traffic rules.
As part of the Highway State Police's support to road crash victims and families, Dr Singal announced that five one-day support/redressal camps will be held between November 22 and 24 in Thane, Raigad, Pune, Aurangabad, and Nagpur ranges for road crash victims and their families. Representatives from insurance companies, lawyers, and police will be present at the camp to guide and provide information on road crash victims'/families' rights, how to get legal help, how to register crashes, and the responsibilities of the police force, among others.
The WDoR is a global event commemorated on the third Sunday of November each year. This event remembers the nearly 1.3 million people killed and seriously injured on the world's roads annually and acknowledges the suffering of all affected victims, families, and communities. This day also pays tribute to the dedicated emergency personnel, police, and medical professionals dealing with the traumatic aftermath of road crashes.
