In the light of repeated instances of road accidents involving tourist vehicles on the ghat roads in Idukki, the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) has issued a safety warning for driving on hilly stretches in Idukki. The MVD plans to publish safety driving awareness messages in different languages on high-range roads.
According to MVD officials, the ghat roads witnessed over 20 accidents in two months, with six lives lost and over 30 tourists injured. Officials pointed out that vehicles from outside Idukki district as well as other states are those involved.
In the latest incident on Thursday evening, a tourist car fell into a 600 ft-deep gorge at Karadippara near Peruvanthanam on the Kottarakkara-Dindigul National Highway killing two passengers. Four others were seriously injured. On May 3, three a 27-year-old mother and her 4-year-old daughter were killed when their scooter lost control and fell on the hairpin bend near Chempakathozu Kudy near Chinnakkanal.
Deepu N.K., Motor Vehicles Inspector (MVD), Devikulam Sub RTO, pointed out that the lack of awareness on ghat roads may be the reason for recurrent accidents involving tourist vehicles. Officials said that first-time drivers also happen to be facing accidents. People wrongly apply their understanding of driving in urban areas or plains while they are on hilly stretches. As a result, motorists from outside Idukki could be guided by a wrong assessment of riding conditions on high-range roads.
“Motorists fail to understand variations in ‘sight distance’, which is very short on steep uphill and downhill roads as well as sharp bends,” said an official.
MVD officials has advised on driving in proper gear (in downhill and uphill), at low speeds and with extreme caution on ghat roads. “Observe road signs and do not park on curves while driving on hilly stretches. Do not overtake on curves and give priority to vehicles taking an uphill. Apply parking brake whenever the vehicle is stopped. Stop the vehicle in rainy weather or when visibility is obstructed by fog. Don’t take unfamiliar routes during the night solely relying on Google Maps on high-range roads.”
During the summer vacation, thousands of tourist vehicles reach the hill stations in Idukki. “MVD has already published awareness messages in Malayalam and will publish them in English, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, and Telugu languages,” said Mr. Deepu.
