31 July,2014 06:18 AM IST | | Anuj Ismail
The Traffic DCP will take to the streets in August, urging drivers to maintain road safety with candid discussions
DCP Vishwas Pandhare
Nearing the end of his three-year period as deputy commissioner of police (traffic) in the city, Vishwas Pandhare hopes to get on the front foot - quite literally - in his crusade against reckless driving. Come August, Pandhare will take to the streets, personally warning commuters of the dangers of flouting traffic rules.
Streetsmart: DCP (Traffic) Vishwas Pandhare is on a mission to urge commuters to abide by traffic rules and save lives. File Pic
Citing the alarming number of fatalities from road accidents in the country - about 350 every day, on average - Pandhare thinks it is time that citizens realise how very real the danger is.
From August 1, the DCP will visit busy areas with predominantly young populations such as Jangli Maharaj Road, Fergusson College Road and Wadia College (student hubs), as well as Hinjewadi, Hadapsar and Yerawada (hubs for IT professionals).
During the campaign, Pandhare will keep an eye out for drivers who break traffic rules, and will pull them aside to have a candid discussion with them. Pandhare will attempt to drive the point home by showing reckless drivers videos that match their traffic offences, but end in seriously damaging accidents.
"Accidents take place in a fraction of a second, but the after-effects could last a lifetime. It is essential that people start abiding by road safety norms and wear helmets when they ride two-wheelers, and seat belts in four-wheelers," said Pandhare. While it may sound like a simple warning, one that has been repeated time and again by the Traffic department, statistics show that about 80 per cent of accidents take place because of human error or negligence on the road.
Pandhare added, "A majority of road accidents take place due to speeding or negligence; if people understand the importance of their life and others on the road, the number of deaths in road accidents can be brought down."
The Traffic department has already begun printing information banners and leaflets, while Pandhare is urging citizens to spread the message through platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp and the Pune Traffic application.
