Jammu: Traffic Police Rural Jammu will launch a two-week awareness-cum-enforcement drive from September 1 to September 14 against traffic violations by two-wheeler riders in Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch districts amid concerns over their high involvement in road accidents.
According to traffic police data, 699 road accidents were reported in the four districts between January 1 and July 31 this year, resulting in 88 deaths and injuries to 1,001 people. Of these, 309 accidents, or 44 per cent, involved two-wheelers.
The data also showed that two-wheelers were involved in 39 fatal accidents during the period, accounting for 44 per cent of all fatal crashes. A total of 384 people were injured in accidents involving motorcycles and scooters, while 144 of the reported single-vehicle accidents involved two-wheelers.
Traffic Police said two-wheelers accounted for 102 accidents on national highways and 210 accidents on other roads in the four districts. The analysis further found that 27 per cent of accident victims were below the age of 26 years.
In view of the findings, authorities said the drive will focus on violations such as riding without helmets, pillion riding without helmets, triple riding, use of mobile phones while driving, unauthorised vehicle modifications, driving by minors, driving without a licence, overspeeding and dangerous driving.
Besides enforcement, awareness programmes will be organised at colleges, educational institutions, bus stands, tuition centres, libraries and other public places to educate road users, particularly young riders, about road safety and traffic regulations.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Traffic Rural Jammu, Farooq Qaiser said the objective of the campaign was to reduce accidents and improve road safety rather than merely increase the number of challans issued. He appealed to two-wheeler riders to comply with traffic rules and cooperate with enforcement agencies during the drive.
