Issuing an advisory under Tandrust Punjab Mission to all the Deputy Commissioners, Mr. KS Pannu, Mission Director informed that road safety becomes a major challenge before the State during winter especially during foggy days. Proactive steps to prevent road accidents with a view to reduce the road fatalities are required to be taken. So, to avert road accidents during foggy conditions in the State, the officers of Transport Department, Police Department, PWD, NHAI, Health Department have been advised to be extra vigilant both for prevention of road accidents and for timely rescue operations in case an accident takes place.Besides, certain measures to be taken at district level have been suggested to the Deputy Commissioners, said he. These include ensuring proper working of traffic lights on the road intersections, availability of emergency vehicles like ambulances and recovery vans along with round the clock availability of drivers and the supporting staff on these vehicles. Moreover, under the Safe School Vahan policy, drivers of all the School buses are to be sensitized for road safety during winter. They may be specifically directed to keep the vehicles within speed limits and fog-lights on such vehicles should be ensured.It has also been suggested that proper signage on the road diversions especially where the roads are under construction, should be installed.
Importantly, the Police Nakkas/Barriers should have proper reflectors/flashing lights. Besides, it has been recommended that unauthorized parking of vehicles on the road sides especially on the Dhabas, must be stopped through regular patrolling, informed Pannu and added that extra large, oversized vehicles carrying goods protruding outside the vehicle dimension should be stopped as these are otherwise also not permitted under the Motor Vehicle Act.The advisory suggests maintaining extra vigil at black spots on the highways which have already been identified by the Traffic Police and the Road Safety engineers posted in the Districts. Pannu said that stray animals are a major cause of accidents; therefore, action should be taken to control the stray animals, especially on the main roads and in the cities. Coupled to this, it has been asked that the accidented vehicles must be removed from the highways immediately, so that other fast running vehicles are not faced with the danger of road accidents.The Deputy Commissioners have been requested to hold a meeting of all the stakeholders in this regard at the earliest with a view to sensitize the stakeholders to prevent road accidents during foggy conditions in this winter, informed Pannu.