One killed as speeding car hits pedestrians in Chennai

Chennai, April 3 (IANS) One person was killed while three others were injured when a speeding car lost control and rammed into a group of pedestrians in Chennai's Teynampet area on Thursday.

The deceased was identified as Babu, a resident of Nandanam.

Three others sustained severe injuries and are currently undergoing treatment.

Abis Ahmed, who was driving the car, has been arrested.

The Teynampet Police confirmed that a case has been registered against him under sections on reckless driving and causing death due to negligence.

Investigation is underway.

This incident comes close on the heels of another horrific accident on GST Road near Singaperumal Koil, which took place on Tuesday.

In that case, three members of a family, including a one-year-old child, lost their lives when a speeding tipper lorry rammed into their stationary car, crushing it between two heavy vehicles.

According to police reports, the family was returning to Madurai after attending a function in Chennai. Their car had stopped at a traffic signal when the accident occurred. The tipper lorry, travelling at high speed from Chennai towards Chengalpattu, crashed into the car, pushing it into a container lorry ahead.

The deceased were identified as Ayyanar (65), Saravanan (35), the driver and infant Sai Velan (1).

Despite these recent tragedies, Tamil Nadu has witnessed a steady decline in road accident fatalities in recent years.

In 2024, the state recorded 273 fewer road accident deaths compared to the previous year. Authorities attribute this improvement to proactive safety measures, such as identifying and addressing accident-prone “Black Spots,” stricter enforcement of traffic laws, and rigorous action against drunk driving.

In 2023, the state registered 17,526 fatal accidents, resulting in 18,347 deaths. In 2024, these figures dropped slightly to 17,282 accidents and 18,074 fatalities.

An internal police study found that driver error accounted for 16,800 of the 2023 accidents. To combat this, police have employed the Highway Patrol Mobile Application for real-time enforcement and public awareness.

A comprehensive survey identified 6,165 accident-prone spots, with safety measures implemented in over 3,165 of them, in coordination with the State Highways Department. Cities and districts across Tamil Nadu are now witnessing a downward trend in accident cases.

Highway patrol teams have also played a crucial role, saving over 12,600 critically injured individuals by transporting them to hospitals during the Golden Hour.

Additionally, thousands of awareness campaigns have been conducted to educate the public on safe and responsible driving practices.

--IANS

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