The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) reply to a Right to Information (RTI) query by an activist has revealed that the main reason for road accidents deaths on Yamuna Expressway is drivers dozing off while driving. The second main reason is over-speeding .
“In all, 488 people have been killed and 3873 have been injured because of sleep starved drivers dozing off while driving on Yamuna Expressway since 2012. Many consider over speeding as main reason for accidents on Yamuna Expressway but it has been proven otherwise in reply dated April 13 from YEIDA under RTI Act,” said KC Jain, the RTI activist.
“In all, 44.2 per cent accidents on Yamuna Expressway from 2012 to 2023 have happened because of sleep starved drivers going for momentary sleep while driving. The second reason is over speeding because of which 17.94 % accident took place in same duration on Yamuna Expressway,” said Jain.
“While talking about accidents, it is revealed that 7256 accidents had taken place on Yamuna Expressway since 2012 in which 1242 died. Out of these, 3207 accident were caused because of sleep deprived drivers nodding on the wheel and claimed 488 lives while over speeding had caused 197 deaths,” said Jain.
Bursting of tyre has been another prominent reason and 760 accidents out of total 7256 accidents are caused because of this, leaving 90 dead and 1219 injured on Yamuna Expressway.
Fog in winter season too had caused 341 accidents in which 76 died leaving 679 injured, informed KC Jain, adding that fog amounted to 4.7 % accidents on Yamuna Expressway.
“IT is an eye opener and full attention should be paid to sleeping time provided to driver and they should be given breaks while driving for long distances. Your life is in the hands of your driver, so do not consider him merely a machine but adopt a humane approach, giving full weightage to the hours your driver sleeps before driving,” advised Jain.
