STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: A crash investigation is underway soon after the fatal accident on NH-37 near Dergaon in the Golaghat district on Wednesday. The tragic road accident moved the state government and the Centre as well, with the President and Prime Minister expressing their shock.
The NH-37 stretch where the accident occurred falls under the purview of NHIDCL (National Highways Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.), which rushed to the spot soon after the accident. With reports and allegations coming from various quarters on the reasons behind the accident, Save LIFE Foundation has swung into action to carry out a crash investigation to ascertain the reasons behind the mishap. A team of experts from the Save LIFE Foundation from Delhi and Pune has arrived in Assam to conduct the investigation.
According to NHIDCL sources, the Save LIFE Foundation is the organization that carries out investigations to ascertain the reasons why major road accidents occur anywhere in the country. The NGO will investigate the accident through field verification, see the condition of the two ill-fated vehicles involved in the Dergaon accident, and submit a report with recommendations on road safety measures.
The crash between the bus and the coal-laden truck at Dergaon was so severe that the front part of the bus was totally smashed and the truck flown away. Unlike most other accidents, the drivers of both vehicles died on the spot.
The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways identified as many as 95 ‘black spots’ on the national highways in Assam recently. It identified the black spots based on scrutiny of road accident data received from the state government. The report also mentioned that various agencies rectified 47 of the 95 black spots in Assam. The national highways in Assam witnessed 436 accidents, involving 304 fatalities, in the past five years, the report said. The Dergaon accident is an addition to the number.
Save LIFE Foundation is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization focused on improving road safety.
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