City records 24 fatal accidents in August

Kolkata: The city has witnessed 24 fatal accidents in August, the highest this year, drawing the attention of the top brass that called for immediate review of these fatalities. A significant number of fatal accidents witnessed in the rainy season involved two-wheeler riders.The matter came up during a routine traffic review meeting at Lalbazar on Wednesday. The total number of accidents, compared to last year, continues to be significantly less at 101 deaths as compared to over 130 last year. On Wednesday, a 90-year-old Karuna Banerjee, a resident of Canal Circular Road, died after being hit by a hired cab near her residence.According to police statistics, the first 180 days witnessed 61 fatalities at a rate of one fatal accident every third day. From July till September 27, in a span of 87 days, total deaths recorded stood at 40. This is close to one fatal accident every second day. “So far, we have not found major links between accidents. Repeated ones on a single road has been rare except for some stretches,” a police source said. Cops attributed the recent spike to a certain extent on battered roads but much more on pedestrians who disregard traffic rules.

Family sues Google for directing father to a collapsed bridge leading to fatal accident

The family of Philip Paxson is suing Google, alleging that its Maps app led him to drive off a collapsed bridge in Hickory, North Carolina, resulting in his death. The lawsuit claims that Google Maps failed to update its navigation system to label the road as "Closed." The bridge had remained unrepaired since its collapse in 2013, despite requests for repairs. The lawsuit also names Alphabet, Google's parent company, and two local companies responsible for maintaining the land and properties. The family seeks unspecified damages and accuses the companies of negligence. Google expressed condolences and stated that they are reviewing the lawsuit.

Construction worker suffers fatal fall

A 25-year-old construction worker died after falling from the fourth floor of a building in Nashik. The incident occurred due to a lack of safety measures taken by the contractor or construction supervisor. An investigation is underway, and an FIR will be registered against those responsible. Similar incidents have been reported recently, including the molestation of a guard at a hospital construction site in Bhopal and the death of a worker in Mumbai who fell from the second floor. Negligence cases have been registered in these incidents as well.

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