Tragedies that can be avoided

Accidental deaths always bring deep pain not only to relatives. The news related to it will also touch the minds of the readers. On Friday morning, two people were killed on the national highway near Chavakkad, Thrissur, due to the carelessness of a lorry driver. The accident happened when the heavy iron sheets tied to the lorry tumbled and fell on the scooter passengers. The reason for the accident was that the goods vehicles did not follow the safety standards. Carelessness can be said to be the cause of the tragic death of a panchayat member and a 39-year-old housewife at Auvaneeshwaram station on the Kollam-Sengottai railway line. The train arrived when the panchayat member, who was waiting for the train on the platform, was trying to pick up his phone which fell on the tracks below. Sajeena, a housewife, fell on the rail while trying to drag the panchayat member to the platform. Both of them died after being hit by the train. How many such accidents happen around us every day? Many of these could have been avoided with a little care. But no one is paying enough attention to anything.

If the iron sheets kept in the trailer lorry in Chavakkad were tied securely so that they would not fall off, the sheets would not have tumbled and fallen on the people when the brakes were applied. The motor vehicle department or the police, which is responsible for preventing this type of dangerous travel, rarely goes on the road to enforce traffic laws. Some officials even settle serious traffic violations without anyone noticing them. As per rule, goods kept in vehicles should stick out of vehicles. Eyewitnesses said that iron sheets were sticking out of the lorry and this caused the fatal accident.

Those riding two-wheelers are always under the threat of larger vehicles. The other day, a housewife from Nalanchira in Thiruvananthapuram met with a tragic end after she was knocked down by a transport bus. Several similar accidents have occurred in different parts of the state this month.

Everyone will become more responsible if there is a law to provide heavy compensation for accidental deaths caused by the fault of the authorities. Nowadays, potholes are the main topic of public discussion in the state. The High Court has ordered several times to close the potholes immediately and facilitate the traffic. However, nothing happened. The road is still full of potholes in many places. Two days ago, one more person died after his two-wheeler fell into one of these potholes on the Aluva-Perumbavoor road. Following this, the court asked what the engineers of the PWD were doing.

There are also avoidable tragedies. An example is the tragic incident in Parassala three days ago when a toddler fell from a footbridge into a stream and died. The tragedy could have been avoided if there was a handrail on the pedestrian bridge. Panchayat or any related government department could have easily completed that work.