A NOTE ON THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF TRAFFICS & HIGHWAYS, KARNAL

Road accidents are a human tragedy. It involves high human suffering and monetary cost in terms of premature deaths, injuries, loss of productivity etc. Most deaths and injuries due to road accidents are invisible to society. They are a hidden epidemic. In the last few years traffic on the National Highways/State Highways increased manifold and so have the accidents. Every year more than 1.00 Lacs fatal accidents occur on Indian roads, more than 4.00 Lacs persons are injured and the economic loss due to road accidents is estimated to be over Rs. 36,000 crore. 40% of these accidents take place on National Highways. It will be pertinent to compare the number of people murdered and the people who die in accidents every year. About 20,000 people are murdered in a year in India. It is evident that the number of people killed in accidents is five times more than that those are murdered. On the National Highways/State Highways passing through the State of Haryana, more than 4,000 persons are killed and nearly 8,000 injured every year. The vehicular population in the country has also increased manifold. Thus, it is very much necessary to regulate the traffic movement on National Highways.

Keeping in view the seriousness of the problems, the Government of Haryana in its meeting held on 20.04.2000 under the Chairmanship of PSCM established a new Division within its Transport Department called "Haryana Highway Patrol for Road Safety" (HHPRS) under the control of Superintendent of Police, with Headquarters at Karnal. 19 Traffic Aid Control (TAC) have been established at a stretch of every 30 Kms. along the five National Highways i.e. National Highways No. 1, 2, 8, 10 & 22. Now these Traffic Aid Centres have been converted into 22 Traffic Police Stations and 5 Traffic Police Posts and the post of Superintendent of Police, Haryana Highway Patrol for Road Safety has been re-designated as Assistant Inspector General of Police, Traffic & Highways, Karnal, under the control of Police Department.

 OBJECTIVES OF HIGHWAY PATROL 

            The following are the objectives to be fulfilled by the Traffic & Highways:-

1.  Regulation of traffic-thereby bringing down the rate of accidents.

2.  Accident relief-to provide first aid and facilitate the victims to reach the nearest hospital within the golden hour.

3.  Education and Awareness.

4.  Control on drunken drivers by way of establishing Sobriety Check Post and with the help of Alco-sensor.

5.  Monitoring the over-loading of passengers & goods vehicles.

6.  Collection & compilation of Accidents Data and further dispatch to Police Hqrs., Transport Department, Haryana & Ministry of Surface, Road Transport & highways, Govt. of India, New Delhi.

7.   Control Room- To receive and pass over information to concerned Traffic Police Station related with accidents on Highways.

8.   Liaison with various NGOs and other offices located in the State & Govt. of India to organize various seminars/meetings and training related with Road Safety.

9.   Control on high speeding vehicles with the help of Interceptors.

10. Inspection of Traffic Police Stations.

INFRASTRUCTURE

            These 22 Traffic Police Stations/Traffic Police Posts have been provided with the following facilities:-   

 1.   Ambulance with para-medic staff

 2.   Crane

3.    Gypsy

4.    Motorcycle

5.    Alco-sensor

6.    Speed radar

7.    Camera

8.    Saw machine

ACCIDENT DATA

            The rate of accident, death & injured had come down considerably during the years from 2001 to 2006 whereas in the year 2007 when the control of Traffic Police Stations have been entrusted to the District Police, the rate these accidents, deaths & injured have increased, as is evident from the figures given below:-            

            The accident data received from the districts is complied in this unit for onward submission to the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways, Govt. of India, New Delhi, as well as to PHQ.

Help to the Accident Victims:

        During the year from 2001 to 2010 the accidents victims were provided First-Aid and evacuated to the nearest hospital during golden hours as per details given below:-

CHALLANS:-

        As per report received from the Traffic Police Stations, the violators violating the provisions of Motor Vehicles Act are being challaned by different district units on National Highways & State Highways. The details of challans for the last two years are as under:-

ESTABLISHMENT OF SOBRIETY CHECK POSTS:-

        Drunken drivers are Human Bomb. A Drunken driver not only risks his life byt endangers the lives of others as well. He is no less than a human bomb out to kill innocents on the road. Initially, a Sobriety Check Post was established w.e.f. 17.04.2007 at Toll Plaza Karnal. Later on the detection of drunken drivers was extended to other National Highways & State Highways viz. on NH-1 (Panipat); NH-2 (Palwal); NH-8 Manesar (Gurgaon); NH-10 Maharana Partap Chowk, Hisar; Bahadurgarh (Jhajjar) & NH-65 at Titram Mor Kaithal & Surajpur (Distt. Panchkula) NH_22. This unit is supervising the Sobriety checkpoints established on National Highways & STate Highways. The short-comings on these check Posts on the part of District Police is brought to the notice of District SPs regularly.

        The details of challans conducted at these sobriety checkpoints are as under:

        It is pertinent to mention here that this unit has distributed 95 Alco-sensors received from PHQ to all districts. Moreover, the police personnel of this unit are imparting training for handling of Alco-sensor to the officers/officials being detailed by other district/units.

ROAD SAFETY AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS:

    Road Safety Awareness campaigns have been launched for the road users in Schools, Colleges, Truck/Maxi-cab Unions; Haryana Road Workshop, Factory workers, Dhabas & Villages. The road safety material received from the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways, Govt. of India and from other organizations is distribution amongst all District Superintendents of Police in Haryana.

STATE TRAFFIC CONTROL ROOM:-

        A State Traffic Control Room has been established at the headquarter at Karnal with facilities of Mobile Phone number 99910-66666, 1033, 1073 and land phone number 0184-2283199 & 2280028 which are functioning round the clock and it will serve as an important link with the public. The information of accident received in the control room of this unit is further communicated to the concerned Traffic Police Station without any loss of time.

COMMUNITY POLICING:-

        This unit after organizing meetings with the prominent members of the society has registered an Association under the name & style of "Road safety Organization" in all districts of Haryana which will also serve as an important link between police and the public, as a part of community policing.

SOFTWARE ON ACCIDENT ANALYSIS:

        This unit has developed a Software on accident analysis. The software is functioning. It will serve the purpose of identifying the causes leading to road functioning. it will serve the purpose of identifying the causes leading to road accidents and identifying the accident prone areas, for taking remedial measures in this respect. 

LIST OF TRAFFIC POLICE STATION IN HARYANA

Rules of the Road Regulations, 1989

They shall come into force on the first day of July 1989.

1. SHORT TITLE AND COMMENCEMENT:

These regulations may be called the Rules of the Road Regulations, 1989.

They shall come into force on the first day of July 1989.

2.KEEP LEFT:

The driver of a motor vehicle shall drive the vehicle as close as to the left hand side of the road  as may be expedient and shall allow all the traffic which is proceeding in the direction to pass on his right hand side.

3.TURNING TO LEFT AND RIGHT:

The driver of a motor vehicle shall- when turning to left, drive as close as may be to the left hand side of the road from which he is making the turn and of the road which he is entering when turning to the right draw as near as may be to the center of the road along which he is traveling and arrive as near as may be at the left hand side of the road which the driver is entering.

4.PASSING TO THE RIGHT:

Except as provided in regulation 5, the driver of a motor vehicle shall pass to the right of all traffic proceeding in the same direction as himself.

5.PASSING TO THE LEFT:

The driver of a motor vehicle may pass to the left of a vehicle the driver of a which having inducted an intention to turn to the right has drawn to the center to the road and may pass on either side.

6. OVERTAKING PROHIBITED IN CERTAIN CASES:

The driver of a motor vehicle shall not pass a vehicle traveling in the same direction as himself.

 7. OVERTAKING NOT TO BE OBSTRUCTED:

The driver of a motor vehicle shall not, when being overtaken or being passed by another vehicle, increase speed or d anything in any way to prevent the other vehicle from passing him.

8. CAUTION AT ROAD JUNCTION:

The driver of a motor vehicle shall slow down when approaching such intersection, junction at which traffic is not being regulated, if the road entered is a main road designated as such, give way to the vehicles proceeding along the road, and in any other case give way to all traffic approaching intersection on his right hand.

9. GIVING WAY TO TRAFFIC AT ROAD JUNCTION:

The driver of a motor vehicle shall, on entering a road intersection, at which traffic is not being regulated, if the road entered is a main road designated as such, give way to the vehicles proceeding along that road, and in any other case give way to all traffic approaching the intersection on his right hand.

10. FIRE SERVICE VEHICLES AND AMBULANCE TO BE GIVEN FREE PASSAGE:

Every driver shall on the approach of a fire service vehicle or of an ambulance allow free passage by drawing to the side of the road.

11. RIGHT TO WAY:

The pedestrians have the right of way at uncontrolled pedestrian crossings. When any road is provided with footpath or cycle tracks specially for other traffic, except with permission of a police officer in uniform, a driver shall not drive as such footpath or track.

12. TAKING "U" TURN:

No driver shall take a "U" turn where ""U" turn is specially prohibited and on busy traffic road. If a "U" turn is allowed the driver shall show signal by hand as for a right turn, watch in the rear view when safe to do so.

13. SIGNALS TO BE GIVEN BY DRIVERS:

The following signals shall be used by the drivers of all motors vehicles namely.

14. DIRECTION INDICATOR:

The signals referred to n regulation 12 may be simplified also by mechanical or electronic devices.

15. PARKING OF THE VEHICLES:

Every driver of a motor vehicle parking on any road shall park in  such way that it does not cause or is not likely to cause danger, obstruction or undue inconvenience to other road users and it the manner or parking is indicated by any sign board or markings on the road side, he shall park his vehicle in such manner.

16. VISIBILITY OF LAMPS AND REGISTRATION MARKS:

(1) NO load or other goods shall be placed on any motor vehicles  so as to mark or otherwise interrupt vision of any lamp, registration mark or other mark required to be carried by or exhibited on any motor vehicle by or under Act, unless a duplicate of the lamp or mark so marked or otherwise obscured is exhibited in the manner required by or under the Act for exhibition of the marked or obscured lamp or mark.

17. ONE WAY TRAFFIC: A DRIVER SHALL NOT:

Drive a motor vehicle on roads declared "ONE WAY" except in the direction specified by sign boards. Drive a vehicle in a reverse direction into a road designed "ONE WAY"

18. DRIVING ON CHANNELISED ROADS (LANE TRAFFIC)

Where any road is marked by lanes for movement of traffic, the driver of a motor vehicle shall drive within the lane and change the lane only after giving proper signal.

19. STOP SIGN ON ROAD SURFACE:

When any line is painted on or inlaid in to the surface of any road at the approach to the road junction or to a pedestrian crossing or otherwise, no driver shall drive a motor vehicle so that any part thereof projects beyond that line at any time when a signal to stop is being given by a police officer or by means of s traffic control light or by display of any traffic sign.

20. TOWING:

No vehicle  other than a mechanically disabled motor vehicle or incompletely assessed motor vehicle, a registered trailer or a side car, shall be drawn or towed by any other motor vehicle, except for purpose of delivery and to the nearest filling station or garage.

21. USE OF HORNS AND SILENCE ZONES:

A driver of a vehicle shall not

Sound a horn needlessly or continuously or more than necessary to ensure safety.

Sound the horn in silence zones.

22. TRAFFIC SIGN AND TRAFFIC POLICE:

A driver of a vehicle an d every other person using the road shall obey every direction given whether by signal or otherwise a police officer, or by notice, traffic sign or signal fixed or operated.

23. DISTANCE FROM VEHICLES IN FRONT:

A driver of a motor vehicle moving behind another vehicle shall keep at a sufficient distance from that other vehicle to avoid collision if the vehicle in front should suddenly slow down or stop.

24. ABRUPT BRAKE:

No driver of a vehicle shall apply brake abruptly unless it is necessary to do so  for safety reasons.

25. VEHICLES GOING UPHILL TO BE GIVEN PRECEDENCE:

On mountain roads and steep roads, the drier of a motor vehicle traveling down hill shall give precedence to vehicle going uphill wherever the road is not sufficiently wide to allow the vehicle to pass each other freely without danger, and stop the vehicle to the side of the road in order to allow any vehicle proceed in uphill to pass.

26. OBSTRUCTION OF DRIVER:

A driver of a motor vehicle shall not allow any person to stand or all r anything to be placed in such manner or position as to hamper his control of the vehicle.

27. SPEED TO BE RESTRICTED:   

The driver of a motor vehicle shall, when passing or meeting procession or a body of troops or police on the march or when passing workmen engaged on road repairs, drier at a speed not exceeding 25 km an hour.

28. DRIVING OF TRACTORS AND GOODS VEHICLES:

A driver when driving a tractor shall not carry or allow any person to be carried on tractor. A driver of goods carriage shall not carry in he drives cabins more numbers of persons than that is mentioned in the registration certificate and shall not carry passengers for hire or reward.

29. PROJECTION OF LOADS:

No person shall drive in any public place any motor vehicle which is loaded in a manner likely to cause danger to any person in such a manner that the load or any part there of anything extends laterally beyond the body or to the rear or in height beyond the permissible limit.

30. RESTRICTION TO CARRIAGE OF DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES:

Except for the fuel and lubricants necessary for the use of the vehicle, no explosive highly inflammable or otherwise dangerous substance, shall be carried on any public service vehicle.

31. RESTRICTION ON DRIVING BACKWARDS:

No driver of a motor vehicle shall cause the vehicle to be driven backward without first satisfying himself that he will not hereby cause danger r undue inconvenience to any person or in any circumstances, of any greater distance or period of time than may be reasonably necessary in order to turn the vehicle round.

32. PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS:

A person driving a vehicle shall always carry with him his driving license, certificate of restoration, certificates of taxation and certificate of insurance of the vehicle and in case of transport vehicle the permit and fitness certificate, also, shall on demand by police officer in uniform or an officer of the Motor Vehicles Department in uniform or any other officer authorized by the Government, produce the document for inspection.