Safe Drive, Save Life success: Number of road accidents drops

The Kolkata Police’s Safe Drive Save Life campaign has proved to be effective as the number of deaths owing to helmetless two-wheeler ride has halved ever since the drive was launched.

The initiative is a brainchild of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and was launched in July, 2016. Between July 8 and December 31, 2016, 32 helmetless bikers and pillion riders died on city roads, while the figure in the corresponding period the previous year stood at 61.

During the drive, a total 184 accidents were registered in the city, in which 195 people were killed. The corresponding period in 2015 saw 216 accidents, in which 220 people died.

Thanks to the drive, the total accidental deaths recorded through 2016 dropped to the lowest figure in the past half decade to 407. In 2016, pedestrian deaths also reduced to 193 from 218 in 2015. Those injured in non-fatal accidents also came down from 3,329 in 2015 to 3,182 in 2016.