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

In a worrying report presented in the Odisha Assembly, Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena revealed that road accidents in the state have claimed the lives of around 15 people per day. In the past three years, road mishaps have taken 16,287 lives and left 30,453 injured.

The alarming statistics underscore the urgent need for better road safety measures, with recent incidents in Bhadrak and Soro having added further casualties, including one death and multiple injuries from bus and auto accidents.

Call for Enhanced Enforcement

Jena blamed many of these incidents on rash driving and also pointed out a glaring absence of enforcement against violators of traffic rules. He observed that though fines have been levied over the years, enforcement has often been woefully inadequate, thus leading to public apathy towards safety measures.

Also Read: One dies, several passengers sustain injuries as bus overturns in Odisha's Bhadrak

Launch of Intelligent Enforcement Management System

The government has decided to launch an Intelligent Enforcement Management System (IEMS) that would seek to bring modern technology into the fold to enhance road safety.

It would track traffic rule violations, penalize, and make sure to send notices to the owners of the vehicle.

Skepticism Among Experts

Experts claim that the move by the government is mere paper talk, as, at the grassroots level, little seems to be done. 

"There is no comprehensive driver training program. It needs to be institutionalised," says Subrat Nanda, a road safety expert.

As road traffic accidents continue to escalate, the state government is under increasing pressure to take decisive action to protect its citizens and reduce the alarming death toll on its roads.

Also Read: Odisha governor Raghubar Das advocates for fair, fearless journalism