Preventive measures for avoidance of accidents

Preventive measures for the avoidance of the accidents on roads and bridges

a. Display of Sign Boards

The sign boards indicating maximum speed, commencement of ghat portion and warning to drivers to go slow displayed at the commencement of the ghat should be improved as under:

• Make the signs more pictorial.
• They should be repeated at frequent intervals.

• To display them much before at a distance of 300 metres before the accident spot or the dangerous curve of the ghat or any such cautionary point such as School, narrow Bridge etc.



• Places where accidents have occurred or curves which are dangerous they should be notified by a clear sign board placed, sufficiently in advance of that particular spot.

• The signs may be made more fluorescent so that they are visible in the night.

• Maintenance of these sign boards should be invariably checked up during and after the monsoon.

b. Broadening of National Highways and State Highways at particular points

Fanning at junction points

The need for broadening National Highways and State Highways at important accident points cannot be ignored. The broadening should be carried out at danger points from the annual programme of 'Special Repairs of National Highways and State Highways' to the extent possible.

c. Enlisting of dangerous curves and accident points by S.T. authorities

The State Transport Authorities should enlist dangerous curves and points of accidents and transmit the list to the National and State Highway authorities for taking them up under the Special Repairs Programme. Such of the curves or bends which cannot be immediately attended to by National and State Highway authorities should be taken up by S.T. by creating special funds for this purpose. This will probably save the expenditure involved in paying compensation in such accidents.

d. Strengthening of parapet walls

At present, parapet walls in ghat portion are only for guidance and protection. They should be made more protective in nature at the major accident points specially where likely fall in the valley is deep.

Parapet wall to separate service lane on curved portion

Innovative ways can be adopted to minimise cost and accidents like as shown in image below

e. Sign Boards at the commencement of ghat

The sign boards at the commencement of ghats should begin at least at a distance of 200 to 300 mtrs. and should be more pictorial in nature sufficiently conspicuous and large so as to be easily noticeable by any traveller. Their maintenance should be done annually before and after the monsoon as a special part of maintenance programme. At points where gradient is steep deliberate roughing of road surface and plantation of trees just behind the parapet wall should be considered so as to minimise gravity of accident in the event of such occurring.

f. Improving Visibility on intersections and Curves

No concrete walls shall be allowed at intersections of two roads, remove them if possible or if fencing is necessary then provide barbed wire fencing.

Concrete wall fencing at intersection affects visibility

Improving Visibility at junction

Such fencing shall be preferred at intersection

g. Use of reflective paints and strips

Reflective paint on road marking

In dense forest where visibility is less, reflective paint on roads is very useful

Reflective strips behind the vehicle

h. Use of speed breaker