Drive safe or pay the price! Odisha declares ‘Zero Tolerance Day’ twice a week

In a major step towards enhancing road safety, the Odisha government has announced that Sundays and Wednesdays will be observed as Zero Tolerance Days to curb road accidents. The decision was taken during a meeting of the State Road Safety Council, chaired by Commerce & Transport Department Minister Bibhuti Jena.

On these 2 days, strict enforcement of traffic rules will be carried out, and violators will not be granted any exemptions, sources said, adding that regular vehicle checks and penalty collections will be intensified. 

Besides, the government will take stringent action against those violating traffic laws, including over speeding, drunk driving, and riding without helmets.

The Transport Minister emphasized the importance of safe driving practices and stated that the initiative aims to bring down accident rates significantly. Authorities will maintain strict vigilance on errant drivers to ensure road safety across the state.

3,717 deaths in 7 months:

Over the last seven months, Odisha witnessed 3,717 deaths in road accidents, Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena informed the State Legislative Assembly on February 20. Jena revealed that out of 6,327 recorded accidents, there were 3,717 fatalities, while 3,401 individuals sustained severe injuries.

Also Read: Odisha faces road safety crisis as accidents claim 15 lives a day 

Specifically, speeding was responsible for 918 deaths. A further 1,052 fatalities resulted from negligent driving, and 46 accidents involved drivers who were under the influence of alcohol.

Alarming Statistics:

Odisha faces significant challenges in road safety. The State reports an average of 16 road deaths every day, with a severity rate (number of people killed per 100 accidents) of 47 percent, which is alarmingly higher than the national average of 37 percent.