ensure road safety
The unfortunate demise of former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry in a road accident on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway appears to have been caused by an error in judgment by the person behind the wheel. Overtaking on the highway is not uncommon. Incidents can happen despite caution and precautions. Our sympathies are with the families.
Anthony Henriques,
Mumbai
The tragic accident shows that no matter how sophisticated the car model, the driver’s road attitude plays a big role. Same is the case with Indian roads. Perhaps states need to try and enforce speed restrictions on all highways. Due to the increasing use of vehicles on the highway, the situation of jam is being created. It only adds to the risk factors that road users have to face. More lanes also give a false sense of safety to the driver.
V. Lakshmanan,
Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu
The tragic accident also highlights the need for better road safety. According to the latest report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the road accident rate is on the rise, with 1,55,622 lives lost due to road accidents in 2021.
Diganta Chakraborty,
Jangipara, Hooghly, West Bengal
Accident All drivers should be familiarized with the rules for driving and changing lanes, overtaking, speeding and insisting on the use of seat belts even by rear seat passengers. There are many dangers on India’s highways.
Govardhan Mainedu,
Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh
Taiwan and India
Despite the different areas of conflict, there are lessons from the Taiwan standoff for New Delhi to incorporate into its policy and stance. Taiwan’s clear expression of China’s belligerent nature and a clear message helped it greatly. It was also able to assert its rights boldly because the underlying point is that Taiwan is a semicircular linchpin. Diplomacy is paramount, but acceptance can be considered friendly and equated to it.
Nishat Bhatotia,
Manesar, Gurugram, Haryana
rat race
The death of a schoolboy in Karaikal, Puducherry after ingesting poison makes for sad reading (page 1, “Boy dies of poison; classmate’s mother held”, September 5). It is natural that parents want their child to do well in academic and extra-curricular activities. But there is also a lot of pressure on a child to outperform their classmates.
Guruprasad P.,
Chennai
One feels that the education system is also responsible for fostering an unhealthy rat race among the students. Lack of all round development in schools is another factor as there is a lot of rote learning. Parent-teacher meetings in schools should focus on these issues rather than glorifying academic excellence. Governments have the responsibility to issue instructions to teachers and parents and help in the all-round development of the students.
AV Narayanan,
Tiruchi, Tamil Nadu
Serena’s imprint
Serena Williams will be remembered for a long time as she has left behind a legacy that will be difficult for young players to emulate. For Ms Williams, it was dedication, commitment and consistency throughout her long and illustrious career.
R Narayan,
Bangalore