In a significant push to curb road deaths, Kanpur Nagar district has launched a rigorous 'Zero Fatality Month' campaign throughout January. This initiative is a direct implementation of directives issued by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who has declared the National Road Safety Month as a period targeting zero deaths on the roads.
Awareness and Enforcement Drive Targets Drivers
Kicking off the campaign, the transport department conducted extensive awareness and enforcement activities across the district on Sunday. A core focus was educating long-distance commercial vehicle drivers. Officials emphasized the critical importance of taking adequate rest before operating vehicles to combat accidents caused by driver fatigue and drowsiness from non-stop driving.
With the winter season bringing dense fog, the department also issued vital advisories to all motorists. Drivers were instructed to affix reflector tapes on both the front and rear of their vehicles to enhance visibility. They were also urged to adopt all other necessary precautions and strictly adhere to road safety rules during low-visibility conditions.
Survey of 266 Critical and Black Spot Locations
Moving beyond awareness, the campaign involves concrete action on infrastructure. In a coordinated effort, officials from all construction agencies, including the nodal Public Works Department, and other stakeholder departments conducted a major survey. This activity was part of an action plan prepared by the Save Life Foundation.
The teams surveyed sites earmarked for remedial measures after a detailed identification process. The survey covered a staggering 266 critical crash-prone locations identified across Kanpur Nagar district. Furthermore, the review included 17 previously known black spots and 12 newly identified black spots, marking a comprehensive approach to accident hotspots.
Towards a Safer Road Infrastructure
The data collected from this large-scale survey is expected to form the basis for immediate and long-term corrective measures. The collaborative model, involving NGOs like Save Life Foundation with government departments, aims to implement scientific and effective solutions at these dangerous stretches. The 'Zero Fatality Month' campaign thus combines immediate driver education with systematic engineering interventions, reflecting a holistic strategy to achieve its ambitious goal of preventing every single road death in the district for the month and beyond.
