Road Safety Month 2026 launched in Nandyal

Nandyal: District collector G Raja Kumari on Thursday emphasised that strict adherence to traffic rules by every citizen is the true foundation of road safety, and that safe roads can be achieved only through public cooperation and collective responsibility. Marking the New Year, the collector inaugurated National Road Safety Month–2026 by unveiling a banner at the Collectorate camp office.

Simultaneously, district superintendent of police Suneel Sheoran released the road safety banner at the SP office, signalling the district-wide commencement of awareness and enforcement activities.

Addressing officials, the collector said road accidents continue to push thousands of families into deep grief and should not be viewed merely as statistics. Calling road safety a shared social responsibility, she noted that in 2024 alone, thousands of lives were lost in road accidents across the state, with youth, two-wheeler riders and pedestrians being the most affected. In this backdrop, she stressed the urgent need for a comprehensive and sustained focus on road safety measures.

Referring to this year’s National Road Safety Month theme — ‘Safety through Enforcement, Transformation through Technology’ — the collector said the slogan aptly reflects the current requirements.

She explained that ‘safety through enforcement’ means strict implementation of traffic laws to instil responsible driving behaviour among citizens. Wearing helmets and seat belts and strictly avoiding drunk driving must become non-negotiable habits, and the message should reach every section of society, she asserted.

District SP Suneel Sheoran said transformation through technology involves leveraging modern tools to prevent accidents proactively. He highlighted the role of AI-based cameras, speed monitoring systems, identification of accident-prone black spots and smart traffic signals in strengthening road safety. He called for coordinated efforts among the Police, R&B, Medical and Health, Panchayat Raj, Municipal departments, APSRTC, NHAI and other agencies. Both the Collector and the SP urged departments to set measurable district-level targets during the Road Safety Month and work towards the long-term goal of zero fatalities. Deputy Transport Officer Shivareddy, R&B SE Sridhar Reddy and other officials were present.