Chennai, Feb 12 : Three people lost their lives and one person was seriously injured in a road accident at Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu, in the early hours of Wednesday.

The deceased have been identified as Vinod (38), Selvam (29), and Velmurugan (41). The injured, Ramesh Karthik (28), has been admitted to Virudhunagar Government Medical College Hospital in critical condition.

According to police reports, the accident involved a cement-laden truck, a two-wheeler, and a pickup van.

The accident occurred when the truck, carrying cement from a factory in Virudhunagar, broke down at Agrakapatti Bridge.

Vinod and Selvam, who were on the two-wheeler, crashed into the back of the stationary truck, dying on the spot. The impact was so severe that their vehicle was shattered into several pieces.

At the same time, a pickup van also collided with the truck, resulting in the death of Velmurugan, a trader from Kovilpatti.

He succumbed to his injuries on the spot. The driver of the pickup van, Ramesh Karthik, sustained grievous injuries and was rushed to Virudhunagar Government Medical College Hospital.

Doctors have described his condition as critical but have not disclosed further details. Traffic on the Madurai-Kanyakumari Road was disrupted for over an hour due to the accident.

Upon receiving the report, officers from Vachakkarapatti Police Station arrived at the scene, recovered the bodies, and sent them for autopsy at Virudhunagar Government Medical College Hospital.

A case has been registered, and investigations are underway.

Despite this tragic incident, Tamil Nadu has recorded a significant reduction in fatal road accidents.

Road accident deaths decreased by 273 in 2024 compared to the previous year. Authorities credit this decline to corrective measures at 'Black Spots' (accident-prone zones), stricter enforcement of traffic rules, and intensive action against drunken driving.

State Police Chief Sankar Jiwal recently stated that, despite the growing human and vehicular population and the increasing length of roads, the Tamil Nadu Police have undertaken several impactful initiatives to enhance road safety.

In 2023, a total of 18,347 people lost their lives in 17,526 fatal road accidents. In 2024, the numbers dropped to 18,074 deaths in 17,282 fatal accidents.

A study of 2023's fatal accident cases revealed that driver error was responsible for 16,800 out of 17,526 incidents.

To curb accidents, the Highway Patrol Mobile Application has been extensively used to raise awareness and enforce road safety rules.

Police also conducted a field survey to identify 6,165 'Black Spots', assessing ground conditions based on vehicle density, traffic environment, and accident history. In collaboration with the State Highways Department, safety engineering measures were implemented, including speed reduction at 3,165 locations.

Most cities and districts in Tamil Nadu have since reported a decline in road accidents.

Additionally, highway patrol vehicles played a crucial role in saving lives, rescuing 12,629 critically injured accident victims and ensuring they received medical attention within the Golden Hour.

Apart from stringent traffic law enforcement to deter reckless driving, thousands of awareness programmes have been conducted to educate the public on responsible road use.

/IANS