Now a device to wake up drowsy drivers

Lucknow, July 13 (IANS) The Uttar Pradesh State Roadways Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) is now planning to deploy special devices in buses that will prevent drivers from dozing off on long-distance routes.

The device, equipped with special sensors, will initially warn the driver with a beep sound and red light in the event of him getting sleepy during driving and later slow down the vehicle and put emergency brakes to stop it altogether.

A senior UPSRTC official said that a decision to this effect has been taken after the recent accidents on the Yamuna Expressway where drivers have apparently dozed off while driving.

The official said that the special device is made with Israeli technique and is being manufactured by a Pune-based company. Each device costs about Rs 40,000.

As a pilot project, the device is being used in two buses on the Lucknow-Nepalganj route and two others on the Lucknow-Gorakhpur route and the feedback has been good.

A proposal to acquire more of these devices will now be sent to the state government.

The UPSRTC official said that the device will be installed on the dashboard of the vehicle. The device will produce a beep sound and red light warning as soon as the driver's hold on the steering wheel slackens due to slumber.

In case, the driver does not react to the beep sound and the slackness continues, the device will automatically put brakes on the bus. The device will also keep an eye on the road ahead and alert the driver in case of over-speeding and overtaking.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has already warned transport department officials, saying they cannot escape responsibility for road accidents by blaming drivers.

He has asked the Yamuna Expressway authority to follow safety measures strictly. He further asked the department officials to deploy two drivers on state-run buses on routes more than 400 km long, so that they can drive the vehicle alternatively.