While accidents continue to snuff out lives on Goan roads, people too continue to flout traffic rules. The end result: Goa continues to top the national road death chart, and the sad part is young people are becoming victims.
During its recent road safety awareness at Vasco, GOACAN volunteers noticed that many riders were still using non-ISI helmets, while many, even though they wore the head gear, never strap them.
The volunteers also noticed that many co-passengers were not wearing their seat belts. The volunteers said the response to the road safety awareness from the motorists was good, but the latter have to continue to obey traffic rules without fail at all times.
The awareness was part of the ongoing 7th UN Global Road Safety Week which was observed from May 15 to 21.
The volunteers also noticed that many co-passengers were not wearing their seat belts.
The awareness action was led by GOACAN co-ordinator Roland Martins and police inspector Shailesh Narvekar (Traffic Cell Vasco). It also had the participation of consumer forum volunteers and police personnel from traffic cell and Vasco Police Station.
Displaying placards and banners on the importance of wearing seatbelts, ISI marked helmets, driving within the speed limits, the volunteers appealed to motorists to drive safely.
Another special focus of the awareness action was to motivate the pedestrians to use Zebra crossing. It was found that pedestrians were not aware of the benefit and safety of using the crossings opposite the Municipal Building and the Civil Court in Vasco.
The Road Safety & Traffic Management Committee of the Mormugao Municipal Council had its first meeting on May 12, 2023. GOACAN thus decided to give a boost to the road safety awareness by organizing this awareness in Vasco.
Among those who joined the awareness action were Dileep S Lotlikar, senior citizen; Alka Damle, Jagrut Nagrik Manch; Shalaka S Kambli, social worker and Arun Pandey, Co-ordinator of ARZ.
The awareness action concluded with a resolve to intensify the road safety awareness in Vasco as well as activate the Village Panchayat Road Safety and Traffic Management Committees in Mormugao taluka by providing them the required awareness materials, signage booklets and details of the traffic warden and road safety patrol schemes.