Kathmandu, Oct 23: Traffic accidents in Kathmandu Valley fell during this year’s Dashain festival, with the number of crashes dropping from 155 last year to 105. The death toll also declined from 10 to three, according to the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office.
The number of accidents fell by 50 compared with last year, while fatalities dropped by seven. Traffic police attributed the decline to preparations and increased monitoring aimed at improving road safety during the festival.
Naresh Raj Subedi, spokesperson for the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office and a superintendent of police, said most accidents this year involved two-wheelers. He said speeding often caused drivers to lose control of their vehicles.
Subedi said planned preparations and coordinated efforts had helped improve road safety. Cooperation among transport operators, workers and other stakeholders had also made travel safer, he said.
“Roads have become safer because traffic police worked according to a plan and made preparations in advance. Joint efforts by transport operators, workers and all stakeholders have helped people travel safely,” he said.
Senior Superintendent of Police Suresh Prasad Kafle, chief of the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, said prompt rescue operations and effective medical treatment following accidents had helped save injured people.
According to Kafle, traffic police and regular police prioritised road safety by conducting routine checks, monitoring traffic and carrying out joint inspections.
Traffic police had introduced a special security plan for the festival, when vehicle movement typically increases and careless driving and speeding raise the risk of accidents. Checks at various locations, closer monitoring and increased police deployment helped reduce accidents, the office said.
Although the decline in accidents and fatalities during this year’s Dashain is encouraging, the high number of crashes involving speeding and two-wheelers points to the need for greater caution on the roads.
Traffic police have urged drivers to control their speed, follow traffic rules and drive safely.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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