Wrong lane driving killed 1,296 people

JANDEC 2017 As many as 929 people died on the spot in UP and 367 succumbed later in this category of accidents: Transport dept

LUCKNOW: Over 1,200 people died in accidents due to wrong lane driving in the state during the period January to December 2017, reveals transport department’s data.

Of these, 929 people died on the spot while 367 succumbed later during treatment or on the way to hospitals (1296 deaths in this category of accidents), shows the data. Besides, 1,242 people sustained grievous injuries and 317 got minor injuries in such mishaps.

Experts said such accidents could be prevented.

“The accidents occurred as vehicles were in the wrong lane and may have also been moving at high speed. If the vehicles were not moving like this there wouldn’t have been such accidents,” said Prof Ajai Singh, head, paediatric orthopaedic department at the King George’s Medical University, who has been studying drivers’ behaviour in various projects.

As per the study, people from both sides were injured in the accidents. Some of them were pedestrians who met with accident while crossing the road.

“Wrong lane driving is one of the four top causes of road accidents in the region,” said Dr Sandip Tiwari, head, trauma surgery department at KGMU.

He said, “As highways have been built with fewer cuts, people tend to drive in the wrong

lane and at high speed to save time and fuel, which results in accidents. The number of such mishaps has been increasing in recent times.”

He said often drivers do not know when exactly to take the turn and when they miss it, they

take a U-turn on the same side of the road and then speed up to go back.

“The person who is coming from the right side (left side of the road) gets panicky and often the accident takes place,” said Dr Tiwari.