October 2: The Traffic Police has concluded that breach of traffic rules and over-speeding are the main reasons behind traffic accidents.     
According to an analysis of road accidents conducted by the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office (KVTPO), most of the road accidents are caused due to high speed and breach of traffic signs and signals.    
KVTPO spokesperson Senior Superintendent of Police Rajendra Prasad Bhatta said that besides the aforementioned reasons, the other factors for traffic accidents are driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.    
Moreover, the bad condition of roads and vehicles, mechanical fault of the vehicle and the lack of adequate knowledge of traffic rules among the road users are to blame for the increasing number of road accidents.    
"However, the main reasons are over-speeding and disobeying the traffic rules," he said, stressing on the need of raising public awareness mainly on this issue. SSP Bhatta said an awareness campaign has been initiated in the Kathmandu Valley presently through the 'Traffic Week'. He said this campaign will be conducted in a regular manner and will not be limited to a week alone.    
Nearly 13,000 people have died and thousands others have been injured due to road accidents across the country in the last five years. About three thousand persons lost their lives to road accidents in the last one year alone.    
The number of road accidents is increasing with the growing number of vehicles. In such scenario, the Traffic Police sees the need of conducting traffic awareness campaign, targeting the drivers, conductors, pedestrians, students and the general road users.    
The role of the local bodies would be crucial in this campaign, it is stated. In the view of Deputy Inspector General of Police Kuber Kadayat, the central spokesperson of Nepal Police, the local governments have an important role in maintaining road discipline and to make the road users realize their responsibilities.    
He pointed out the need of expanding the traffic awareness campaign across the country. -- RSS