A vehicle for every adult in Goa (Herald)

January 4, 2014 vehicle-population ratio is 1:1.5 TEAM HERALD PANJIM: There is a vehicle for every adult person in Goa, with the State’s vehicle-population ratio being 1:1.5 as on December 2013, Transport department statistics, as on December 31, 2013 revealed. There are 9.87 lakh vehicles registered in Goa, which has a total population of 15 lakh. A total of 62,000 vehicles were registered in the State, in 2013 which is a 8 percent drop compare to last year. For the year 2012, 70,000 transport as well as non transport, were registered in Goa. Speaking to media persons, Director of Transport Arun Desai said that on an average 60,000 vehicles are purchased in the State, annually. However, there was an overall drop of 8 percent last year, which he attributed to mining operations closure. Desai said that despite growth in the vehicle population, the number of deaths which occurred due to road accidents are on decline. For 2013, a total of 256 deaths were reported as against 270 deaths in 2012. “The number of road accident deaths is on the decline since 2010,” he added. Desai was speaking while announcing the schedule for 25th Road Safety week, to be held from January 11 to 17. The theme for this year’s Road Safety Week is ‘When on the Road always say –Pehele Aap (first you)’. Stating that the enforcement drive which started last month had been very effective, Director said that on the New Year’s eve, 315 challans were issued across Goa, while another 92 were issued on December 30. Desai said that this year all road safety programmes would be held in schools, higher secondaries and colleges, wherein on all seven days awareness would be created on issues such as use of helmets and seat belts, pedestrian safety, rash and negligent driving and other Motor Vehicle rules. The Road Safety week will be inaugurated at Carmel College, Nuvem in the presence of Transport Minister Ramakrishna Dhavalikar, Forest Minister Alina Saldanha and local MLA Francisco Pacheco. http://www.oheraldo.in/News/Local%20News/A-vehicle-for-every-adult-in-Goa/83881.html