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Traffic police to record number of people disabled in road accidents

CHENNAI: Road accidents often catch the public eye only when there are fatalities. A significant aspect that is often ignored by authorities and people alike is the number of people who get disabled as a result of accidents. Many lose limbs, some suffer spinal or head injuries that can leave them bedridden for the rest of their lives. To stress the need for better road discipline, the Chennai city traffic police plans to introduce a system that will record the number of people who are disabled as a result of road accidents and then incorporate the data in traffic awareness campaigns.

"In each accident case, we get the discharge summary from the hospital. So, to take a count of those who have been disabled will not be a problem for the police department. It will take some time to formalise a specific plan," Shakeel Aktar, additional commissioner, traffic, told The Times Of India. Once the plan is ready, promotional material on traffic awareness will highlight the number of people left seriously injured and disabled as a result of rash driving.

In 2008, 1,193 cases of grievous injury resulting from road accidents were reported in Chennai. The number of people disabled or bedridden permanently were not recorded, though. "Injuries are categorised as serious depending on the duration of hospitalisation. We have seen many persons injured in accidents die after many days of hospitalisation. Such cases sometimes go unreported. Now, our men visit each accident victim and the attending doctor, to get proper inputs. We do not leave accident cases after filing the FIR. We remain till the victim or the family is compensated by insurance. Thus, to take a proper count of disabled victims, we will have a well-planned system in place," Aktar said.

In Tamil Nadu, about 50,000 road accidents occur on an average in a year; 25% relate to grievous injury. The number of people disabled in road accidents could, therefore, be quite substantial. According to police, most of the disabled accident victims are young, thus affecting the earning capacity of many families.

"We hope to make a difference in the lives of these disabled persons. We will help them get the insurance amount," Aktar said. Police officials believe that once the plight of an accident victim is highlighted, it could have a sobering effect on those who revel in rash driving and violate traffic rules.

praveen.kumar8timesgroup.com

3 Apr 2009, TNN