Road Accidents and Safety Measures
Context:
The ministry of Road Transport & Highways publishes “Road Accidents in India” annually based on data received from Police Departments of States/ UTs.
Road Accidents in India:
- India accounts for about 11% of global road accident deaths despite having just 1% of the world’s vehicles.
Reasons for High Road Accidents and Fatalities:
- Over-speeding
- Poor road infrastructure: Many roads are unsafe and prone to accidents due to poorly designed features like black spots, which account for 90% of road crashes.
- Examples include sharp corners, hidden junctions, and intersections.
- There are often no separate lanes for 2-wheelers, heavy vehicles, or pedestrians, especially in urban areas.
- Lack of awareness:Indians have low awareness about the significance of safety features such as airbags, Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS), and seatbelt usage.
- Unsafe vehicles:Crash tests conducted by the Global New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) in 2014 highlighted that several top-selling car models in India failed the UN’s frontal impact crash test, indicating weak vehicle safety standards.
- Post-Accident Factors:Lack of quick response, including immediate notification to medical authorities and limited emergency medical facilities, increases fatalities.
Impact of Road Accident:
- Economic Impact: The Indian economy loses 3 to 5 percent of its GDP annually due to road accidents, according to the World Bank.
- Social Impact: Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs), particularly male urban poor, account for over half of all road crash deaths and serious injuries in India. These accidents often drive them deeper into extreme poverty by causing job losses.
Addressing Road Safety:
- The National Road Safety Policy (NRSP), 2010, was formulated based on the recommendations of the S. Sundar Committee.
Global Initiatives for Road Safety
- Brasilia Declaration on Road Safety (2015): India is a signatory to this declaration, which aims to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.6, targeting a 50% reduction in global road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030.
- Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030: Adopted by the UN General Assembly, this resolution aims to prevent at least 50% of road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030.
- Establishment of Road Safety Information Database.
- Creation of the National Road Safety Council to oversee road safety matters.
- District Road Safety Committees (DRSC):
- Established under Section 215 of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988.
- Responsible for creating district-level road safety and emergency medical plans.
Education: Engineering: Vehicle Engineering: Enforcement: Emergency Care:
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways Multi-Pronged Strategy for Road Safety:
Way Forward:
- Implementation of the important recommendations of the Supreme Court established KS Radhakrishnan panel on Road Safety
- Compulsory Audit on road safety by the state governments
- Creating awareness among people on road safety rules, insurance policies
- Providing enough compensation to victims on time.
- Promotion of Technology Utilisation:Advocate for the continued deployment of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) within a national framework to enhance the safety and efficiency of transportation systems.