Ensure quick medical care to road accident victims, min tells officials

Patna: State transport minister Sheela Kumari on Thursday instructed the officers concerned to ensure that the road accident victims get immediate medical care during the “golden hour”, the first 60 minutes following an injury.While addressing a meeting of the Bihar Road Safety Council here, she said, “Efforts should be made to ensure that the victim does not die in a road accident and rushed to a hospital for emergency treatment. Besides, adequate number of signage related to nearest hospital, speed limit and other road safety warnings should be installed on the highways.”Sheela said awareness drive for road safety will be done through various mediums especially in rural areas. “Publicity related to road safety during important festivals and fairs will bring awareness among more and more people,” she said, while appealing to the common people to wear safety gears, including helmets and seat belts, and asked them not to avoid police and fines for their own safety. The minister also stressed that good quality helmet is also important for two-wheeler riders. State transport commissioner Seema Tripathi said that Bihar Road Safety Council was working with the cooperation of various departments so that the death toll due to road accidents can be brought down. She highlighted the works done by the council and compliance reports by the stake holders. She said that Rs 5000 is being given as an honour to encourage the ‘Good Samaritans’ who help the victims of road accidents.On this occasion, IG Traffic MR Nayak, special secretary Sunny Sinha, regional officer, ministry of road transport and highways, Pradeep Lal, representative of NHI, deputy secretary Shailendranath, OSD Ajiv Vatsraj, Traffic SP Anil Kumar and officials of road construction department, rural works department, education department, health department and disaster management authority were also present.