30 speed detectors in city to catch fast drivers

DMP is going to install 30 speed detectors to catch fast driving vehicles, which often cause fatal accidents in the city. PHOTO: Syed Zakir Hossain

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has decided to install 30 speed detectors in Dhaka to check the speed of motor vehicles from next January with a view to reducing road accidents in the city.

As the number of fatal accidents in the city is increasing day by day and most of these are due to uncontrolled speed, the DMP will install the devices very soon, sources said.

According to the DMP traffic department, 277 accidents took place in the capital in one year till October 2004, that left more than a hundred people killed and many more fatally injured.

A mother and her daughter were run over by a speeding bus on Airport Road on November 16, a day after Eid-ul-Fitr.

DMP officials said there are some roads in the city including the Airport Road where there is a chance of speedy and reckless driving and most of the accidents take place on these roads.

"Whenever the drivers get roads little free they run their vehicles fast and cross the speed limit that often causes fatal accidents. It is necessary to control the speed of vehicles to check such accidents," said Ansaruddin Khan Pathan, DC (Traffic-South) of DMP.

Initially, 30 portable speed-detecting devices will be installed at different points in the city. Training of the traffic police personnel who will operate these machines has already started.

The detectors with high performance satellite receivers will measure acceleration, detect the over-speeding vehicles and give alarm immediately.

"Vehicles crossing the speed limit will be caught then and punished. DMP will take action according to existing traffic rules," said Pathan.

He said the machine could be installed anywhere as it is small in size and the installation process is very simple.

According to traffic law, speed limit for the motor vehicles within the city is 40 km per hour and on the highways it is 60 km/hour. But most of the drivers are not aware of the speed limit.

"I never heard this. I always try to save time wasted for traffic jam in the city by accelerating the speed specially on New Airport Road," said Jasimuddin a bus driver of Gulistan-Airport route.

Pathan said they have requested traffic engineering department of Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) to mark the roads under its authority with signs of speed limit for the convenience of drivers.

"We hope DCC will set up the signs before we install the devices in January. If there is no such signs, the drivers will get an excuse to avoid punishment for breaking the speed limit," said Pathan.