Shyamal Majumdar's column, "Road safety: Why blame cars alone?" (July 7) is a comprehensive analysis of accidents in terms of vehicular type and location.
The causes of accidents are varied. That more road accidents occur in rural areas than in urban areas has as much to do with poor infrastructure as with driving without a licence and drunken driving. Several of these cases, even when reported, are not pursued by the police due to influence exerted by the guilty.
Two-wheelers account for more accidents than four-wheelers; this is not surprising as riding without safety helmets is common in many places. Sometime back when the Pune Police began a drive for using helmets there was an organised protest to block its move.
Pedestrians become victims of accidents not only due to the errors of vehicle drivers, but because of their own negligence, too. Crossing the road even when the signal is red or without care is a usual sight.
While the measures taken by the government, as stated in the article, to make cars safer would help, there is no remedy against negligent, drunken driving by those below the age of 18.
Y G Chouksey, Pune
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