In a bid to curb road accidents in Kathmandu Valley, the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division has installed “stop, look and go” signboards at major entry junctions and link roads across the city.

The division office on November 18 installed 380 signboards all across the Valley that are painted with red (stop), yellow (look) and go (green). It has also assigned personnel to stop vehicles and pedestrians to make them aware of the new signs.

“We have assigned 380 traffic officials to stop pedestrians and motorists to make them aware of the new signboards,” said Senior Superintendent of Police Bhim Kumar Dhakal, chief at the division office. He said with the new campaign, the division office is committed to curbing road accidents that take place at junctions or link roads.

Since the drive was launched on Wednesday, police have stopped 3,000 motorists and pedestrians everyday to make them aware of the new boards.

The new campaign has been well appreciated by the public and pedestrians.“This is very informative and a great initiation,” said Suraj Acharya, 33, a resident of Banasthali. “I would hardly look left and right before taking a turn, now traffic police are stopping us to look at the signboard. This will help us prevent accidents.”

According to the division office, 35 percent of fatal road accidents in the city take place on road junctions and link roads. “Over 35 percent deaths can be attributed due to the negligence of pedestrians or riders on link roads,” said Dhakal.

Meanwhile, traffic police personnel are also strictly enforcing traffic light rules in the city.

Since mid-August, major road sections of the Kathmandu Valley now have working traffic lights. The city, which didn’t have such traffic lights for a decade, now has traffic lights at Singhadurbar, Anamnagar Chowk, Padmodaya Chowk, Putalisadak, New Baneshwor, Purano Baneshwor, Subidhanagar, Gairigaun, Muni Bhairav, Kalimati, Gaushala, Mitrapark and Narayangopal Chowk.

Traffic lights have also been repaired and installed in Thimi, Bhaktapur, and Mahapal, Lalitpur.