Chennai: While timely medical response saves lives after accidents, experts stress the need for equal focus on prevention through smarter solutions to reduce collisions, especially on highway stretches in Chennai’s outskirts.
Tamil Nadu ranks third in the country for identified accident blackspots, but NHAI’s limited interventions and delays have left these high-risk zones prone to ongoing accidents. A 500-metre stretch with at least 20 fatal accidents over three years qualifies as an accident blackspot, making it eligible for rectification funds. Temporary fixes include installing blinkers, enhancing lighting, and adding rumble strips to control speed. Permanent solutions focus on modifying road design, widening roads, and constructing traffic islands at busy junctions to minimize vehicle conflicts.
The NHAI Chennai regional office has yet to implement even basic safety measures at major accident blackspots such as Ambattur Telephone Exchange, which sees over 250 accidents annually, and Chromepet on GST Road (Chennai-Trichy highway). Where work has begun, there is little coordination between NHAI and local traffic police to gather feedback or implement accident-prevention strategies. “Every department works in isolation, and this approach will yield no results,” said transportation activist S Kamal.