Road deaths: Mangaluru worst among tier-2 cities

HUBBALLI: Overturning notions of literacy, road sense, road condition and traffic management, data shows among tier-2 cities in the state, Mangaluru was the worst on rash and negligent driving leading to deaths, followed by Belagavi, Mysore and Hubballi-Dharwad.
Overall, though, predictably, congested Bengaluru city led the pack, registering four times the number of deaths in Mangaluru due to rash and negligent driving between 2015 and 2017.
Across the state, nearly 30,000 people were victims of rash and negligent driving in that period, data from the State Crime Records Bureau shows. Data for 2018 and 2019 is yet to compiled.
A comparison of the five top cities shows 2,164 people died in accidents in Bengaluru caused by rash driving while 536 people were killed in Mangaluru.
Mysuru has shown a spike between 2016 and 2017, from 102 deaths to 132 while it dropped sharply in Bengaluru (794 to 629) and Hubballi-Dharwad, from 104 to 87.
“It has been observed that most drivers, whether driving others’ vehicles or their own, are rash in the coastal region and Kerala. Probably private buses, which have been synonymous with rash driving due to intensified competition, have contributed to this,” said Dr Shivanand Hiremath, a psychiatrist at KIMS. “This shows that the people of North Karnataka may be seen as brash but they are diligent drivers compared to their coastal counterparts.”
However, Dr MC Sindhur, a medical practitioner and civic rights activist, said even these figures must be questioned. “Where are the roads in Hubballi-Dharwad? Road digging and repair works have been going on for the past 5-6 years and people are struggling to reach their destination in time. It’s good to know that such incomplete roads are saving lives at least,” he quipped.
Vijay V Mayya, former national vice-president of Association of Consulting Civil Engineers in Mangaluru, said roads in the city do not have any technical or civil engineering faults. “Almost all roads have been widened enough and have met all technical requirements. Road accidents are more here because of behavioural issues among drivers,” he said. “Though the education level is high in Mangaluru, on road rules, it is a city of educated illiterates. Wiser people are not behaving wisely on roads and becoming a threat for themselves and others.”