Road safety awareness programme held at Tripura Medical College

Road traffic accidents remain a major public health concern in Tripura, with fatalities and accident rates continuing to be higher than the national average, President of AIIMS Guwahati Prof B.K.S. Sanjay said while addressing a road safety awareness programme at Tripura Medical College here.

Delivering a lecture on road safety, Sanjay said nearly 90 per cent of road traffic accidents are caused by driver negligence, with over-speeding being a major contributing factor both in Tripura and across the country.

Expressing concern over the rising number of road accidents in the state, he said the loss of lives in such incidents has a significant impact on families and society.

Addressing medical students and faculty members, Sanjay urged them to strictly adhere to traffic regulations and promote safe road practices. He stressed the importance of wearing helmets while riding two-wheelers and using seat belts while driving four-wheelers.

He said drunken driving, driver fatigue, distraction and over-speeding were among the leading causes of road accidents, particularly during night travel and in hilly areas.

The AIIMS Guwahati president also called upon students to improve their knowledge, skills and professional conduct, saying competence and behaviour were equally important in achieving professional excellence. He encouraged teamwork and active participation in nation-building efforts.

The programme was organised under the leadership of Tripura Medical College Principal Prof Arindam Dutta and Chief Executive Officer Swapna Datta. It was coordinated by Prof Pradeep Kumar Das, Head of the Department of Microbiology.

According to the organisers, the event was aimed at creating awareness about road safety among future healthcare professionals and encouraging responsible behaviour on the roads.

The lecture concluded with an interactive session, followed by a pledge by participants to promote road safety awareness.