Hyderabad: To curb rising road accidents, the Nalgonda District Police organised a road safety awareness programme under the Arrive Alive – 2026 initiative for college students, youth, auto drivers and RTC bus drivers on Tuesday. District Superintendent of Police Sharath Chandra Pawar, IPS, attended as chief guest and expressed serious concern over the growing number of road accident deaths.

Citing last year’s statistics, the SP said Nalgonda district witnessed around 900–950 road accidents, leading to nearly 360 fatalities. “About 90 per cent of those who lost their lives were two-wheeler riders, and the main reason was not wearing helmets,” he said. Emphasising safety, he added, “A helmet is not just a traffic rule; it is a life-saving shield that can decide between life and death.”

Sharath Chandra Pawar noted that overspeeding, drunk driving, use of mobile phones while driving, violation of traffic rules, underage driving, and failure to wear helmets and seat belts are the primary causes of accidents. He warned that driving before the age of 18 is a punishable offence and strict action will be taken against drunk driving. “Drunk driving puts not only the driver’s life at risk but also endangers innocent road users,” he said.