KATHMANDU, Oct 27: The Kathmandu Valley witnessed five road accident-related fatalities during the Dashain festival this year. This is the lowest accident figure during the festival in the last six years. It may be noted that the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division (MTPD) launched a campaign against drunk driving a few months ago.
According to the figures provided by MTPD, 108 road accidents were recorded in the Valley between October 16 and October 26 in which eight people sustained serious injuries and four had minor injuries. "The action against drunk driving proved more effective during the festival as 2,059 drunk drivers were penalized in the last 12 days," MTPD spokesperson Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Pawan Giri said.
Similarly, 15 drunk drivers of long-route public vehicles have been prosecuted under the public offence act, informed Giri.
During the Dashain festival last year, police recorded the highest road accident figure during the festival since 2007, when the police began keeping accident records. In the total 184 road accidents recorded during Dashain in 2011, 14 people had died, 25 were seriously injured and 117 sustained minor injuries. Police attributed most of the accidents to drunk driving.
MTPD had deployed around 1,100 traffic police in the Valley even during the public holidays to check overspeeding and other traffic rule violations.
In 2010, nine persons were killed in 109 accidents, 18 persons sustained serious injuries and 105 received minor injuries. According to MTPD figures, 132 serious injuries and 602 minor injuries were recorded in the past six years.
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