C. Nedumaran, Regional Transport Officer in Poonamallee, is hugely admired — and probably, secretly envied too — at work. For, he is the first in the department to hold a doctorate in Road Safety Management.
With Nedumaran, the lines between profession and mission are blurred, and this doctorate proves it. Over the last 18 years, wherever he has been posted, Nedumaran has offered more than what is expected of him.
“Before issuing the licence to anyone who have passed the test, I’d discuss the need for road safety with the person,” says Nedumaran, who started his career as a motor vehicles inspector.
At his office, instructions on how to avoid road accidents are neatly framed and displayed. “A country should be known for its advances in health and education, and not for fatalities on its roads. Sadly, India is known for the latter,” he says.
The high risk Indian roads pose to motorists largely shaped his decision to pursue a doctorate in road safety management.
The 5E formula
As part of his doctoral research, Nedumaran identified 5Es that could reduce accident rate — Education, Engineering, Enforcement, Environment and Emergency.
Later, he suggested the 5E formula to his higher-ups, who presented it to the government.
“For two years now, this formula is taught as part of the road safety education offered by the Department,” he says.
Instead of just filing a case for not wearing helmets, Nedumaran and his team make the violators wait and conduct a road safety awareness class for them. Every Wednesday, he visits schools, colleges and companies and conduct these classes.
At times, he and his team head to toll gates to issue pamphlets that urge motorcyclists to wear helmets.
“A few years ago, only a handful of people would show interest in road safety awareness programmes; today, the numbers have gone up,” he points out.
“We are also taking steps to identify and rectify black spots or accident-prone zones. Once the major spots are identified, the government will allot money for taking remedial action. As remedial measures take time, we first put up posters and placards to draw attention to the threat at these spots,” he says.
According to Nedumaran, enforcement has to be given due importance.
“The fine amount is just ₹100 and therefore people take things lightly. The rule making helmets mandatory has been in place since 1988, but not many motorists follow it.”
