To reduce road accidents and save lives, the Highway Safety Police (HSP) have expanded the successful ‘Operation U-Turn’ campaign to national and state highways across the Nagpur Range. The special drive will focus on strict action against drunk driving, overspeeding, riding without helmets and dangerous roadside parking. Addressing a press conference on Monday, Superintendent of Police (HSP) Lohit Matani said that, drunk driving continues to be one of the major reasons behind serious and fatal accidents on highways. As part of the campaign, special checking drives will be carried out during night and early morning hours. Joint checkpoints of HSP and concerned district police will be set up at important locations, where police teams will conduct breath-analyser test and take legal action against motorists found driving under the influence of alcohol.

 

According to highway accident data, 971 people lost their lives in road accidents across the Nagpur Range in 2023. Due to continuous enforcement, improvement at accident-prone spots and awareness campaigns, the number of deaths came down to 657 in 2025. However, despite a reduction in total accidents during the first five months of 2026, fatalities remained unchanged at 304. To better understand the causes of accidents, the Police have also launched an Accident Analysis Cell, modelled on a similar initiative by the Nagpur City Police.

 

The cell will study accident patterns, identify black spots and recommend immediate corrective measures. “Driving after consuming alcohol is not only illegal, but also puts the lives of innocent people at risk. We will carry out intensive checking drives on highways and take strict action against violators,” said SP Matani. He added, “Road safety is a shared responsibility. By following traffic rules, avoiding drunk driving, wearing helmets and seatbelts, and maintaining speed limits, many precious lives can be saved.” Police officials said, the campaign will be conducted in co-ordination with district police units, traffic branches, RTO and road development agencies to make highways safer for all commuters.