THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Keralam is considering a special law to impose stringent penalties on those who cause fatal road accidents while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, Minister C P John told the Assembly on Tuesday.

Replying to a submission by C V Santhakumar in the House, the state Transport minister said the government was consulting legal experts on the proposed legislation.

He said such cases would not be treated as minor offences arising from negligence and that the government was committed to stringent action, including vehicle confiscation and imprisonment, against those who drive under the influence of intoxicants and cause fatalities.

The minister's remarks came days after three youngsters, two women and a man aged around 21, were killed when an allegedly overspeeding Mini Cooper, reportedly driven by a 19-year-old under the influence of alcohol, rammed into their scooter at Nedumbassery near Kochi.

John announced that a Road Safety Mission, with the CM as chairman and the Transport minister as co-chairman, would be launched to significantly reduce road accidents in the state.

A governing council comprising ministers in charge of the Home, General Education, Higher Education, Health, Social Justice, Youth Affairs, Local Self-Government, Public Works, Labour and Revenue departments would be constituted soon, he said.

A mission directorate would be set up under the council to implement initiatives aimed at improving road safety.

Around 4,000 people die in road accidents in the state every year, John said. While the government could not claim that all accidents could be eliminated, the proposed mission would help reduce them substantially, he added.

The minister said extensive road safety meetings were being held ahead of the upcoming Sabarimala pilgrimage season.

A study conducted by the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC) in accordance with the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways' guidelines had identified accident-prone spots on various roads in the state, he said.

The government was seriously concerned about the increasing number of accidents on the MC Road stretch between Adoor Enathu and Pandalam, John said.

The study had identified several risk factors in the area, including hazardous curves, the absence of footpaths for pedestrians, inadequate road markings on stretches prone to speeding, insufficient signage at overtaking junctions and risks posed by heavy vehicles parked near curves.

Urgent measures would be taken to address these issues, he said.

The minister said road improvement works would be prioritised based on accident risks and funded through the Road Safety Fund.