In a Twitter post on India's road safety conditions, Atul Gawande, a U.S.-based surgeon, writer, and public health researcher, noted that traffic accident deaths now exceed fatal malaria cases. In fact, there were 125,660 accident fatalities during 2009, the latest year for which data was presented in Parliament a fortnight ago. Yet the country lacks a sustained effort to reduce road-related deaths and disability. The State governments, which enforce motor vehicles rules, and the Centre, which is administratively responsible for road safety through the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, have clearly failed to respond to the crisis. They must get serious at least with the new goal proposed by the Ministry's working groups: halving the number of deaths by 2020. It is an ambitious target, given the weak state of the determinants of road safety — education, engineering, and enforcement. The working groups have submitted many actionable points, and a prolonged campaign must follow. The best time to make the start is the New Year, which begins with Road Safety Week in January.
One major lacuna, as underscored by these groups, is the absence of a technically competent national statutory agency. The current advisory body, the National Road Safety Council, is simply not equal to the task. Moreover, there would be little value in multiplying such panels at the State and district levels, if they do not have the authority to pursue the safety agenda. It is worth pointing out that the Sundar Committee of the Ministry recommended almost five years ago the formation of a National Road Safety and Traffic Management Board. Legislation to create one has run into rough weather in Parliament as several amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act are pending. What can be done immediately, however, is to strengthen engineering and enforcement. With few exceptions, Indian roads have poor safety engineering. In particular, they do not accommodate the needs of pedestrians, bicycles, and other slow-moving vehicles. This gross neglect was flagged for remedial action by the Sundar Committee, but little action has followed. In the area of enforcement, amendments to the M.V. Act seeking to professionalise enforcement and enhance penalties for serious offences — such as driving under the influence of liquor, rash and negligent driving, and overloading of commercial vehicles — await approval by Parliament. Also, driver-licensing remains the weakest link in road safety. Here, State governments have done little to reform an archaic and scandalously corrupt system. What is needed is a ‘zero tolerance' policy towards everything that makes Indian roads deadly.
Keywords: traffic accident deaths, accident fatalities, transport accident, road safety, National Road Safety and Traffic Management Board
Drunken driving should be dealt as crime for committing murder and mv act to be amended accordingly. Any one violating road safety norms ,his driving licence must bear endorsement to that effect and for such three repetitive occurrences his licence be cancelled forever. Any transport official connected with traffic rules found guilty of favouring any offender be chargesheeted and punished. While issuing driving licence,authorities must be fair.
Tamil Nadu has for many years ranked consistently near the top in road fatalities. The lack of enforcement is the primary reason. On paper a fine of Rs. 2000 exists for anyone who jumps a red signal; in practice this menace continues right under the noses of policemen, who don't pull up these offenders (especially MTC buses). Policemen have told me their authority is often being eroded by offenders who have connections. They are also afraid of NHRC cases when enforcing the law, and the consequent nightmare of dealing with the system. Unless we give the policeman a free hand in enforcement, things will only go from bad to worse. I request the State and Central Governments to launch a series of high profile ad campaigns on TV to highlight the dangers of rash driving, driving the wrong way, turning on the wrong side, etc. and sensitize the public about the numbers killed and the punishment that will be handed to the offenders.
Most important thing to reduce number of on road death is strict implementation of traffic rules i.e. which start right from the RTO office where person gets permission to ride motor vehicle(Driving License). In developed country its really a NIGHTMARE for a citizen to obtain a driving license until he/she really deserves one. If same can be replicated in our country, i am sure that number of road accidents and resulting death can be significantly reduce
The most tragic accidents and the ones that claim most lives in each case are the ones that happen on our undivided highways. Almost always these are head-on collisions. And clearly one of the vehicles is on the wrong side. On our highways, at every possible opportunity, drivers try to overtake when they shouldn't be, and the issue is settled based on who blinks first and yields. The brazenness of these acts are directly proportional to the size of the vehicle. I have hardly seen any highway patrol on these roads, much less any enforcement. It is a jungle out there. If the police and administration are at all worried about this, they are certainly not betraying any signs of putting in place effective measures to check this criminal loss of lives. Quite a few high profile politicians have died on our roads. How many more lives have to be lost before some action will be taken is anybody's guess.
One can try to make it safer with the same volume of traffic. The number of accidents will be proportional to the volume of traffic all the other factors remaining the same. Hence concurrently one should reduce the volume of traffic. Decentralization is a must. Instead of concentrating all the government offices in a small number of big cities the offices should be shifted to erstwhile smaller places. This would decrease the volume of traffic and the congestion. Decentralisation should be easier in this day and age than in the past because of computerization and automation. At present decentralization is done only when new high ranking jobs have to be created to favor a few known to the ruling parties. Also public transportation must be made convenient, comfortable and pleasant. Taxi drivers, auto drivers and bus drivers should be made to behave properly so that people will not be forced to use their personal automobiles to avoid unscrupulous and arrogant drivers.
Road accidents are increasing day by day. The main victims are the innocent pedestrians. Main reasons behind accidents are unnecessary speeding, breaking traffic rules, consuming alcohol and driving. There is a lack of responsibility shown by our government and negligence on the part of our traffic police. Our government is spending a sizeable amount of funds on upgrading the highways to expressways, maintenance of roads but no effort is put to improve road safety measures. Unless effective road safety measures are adopted this periodical increase in the loss of life and property will not come to a halt.
How can I agree more with this article? It is like watching a thriller movie when we drive on the so called 'Highways'. Once I was driving between Bangalore and Chennai and I saw a boy jumping right into my lane from the bushes grown on the median! I was shell shocked and by God's grace I was able to stop the vehicle before knocking him down! Now when I drive I shiver and keep looking through the bushes on the median - who knows who's hiding in those bushes and waiting to jump into your lane?? Ok, do we have something called lane? Driving test is a farce, one can get a Driving License without even seeing a car let alone learning to driving it.
My dear brother and sisters, most of us thinks that either the persons who are not obeying the traffic rules or the areas where we Indian people are lagging behind, so called safety measures are the only factor for the increasing casualities on the road. But the fact is that even we people are following the same road map because we see the others are enjoying that. So now the time is to change ourself not to pinpoint others and if we can change ourself, we can slow down the pace of death rates in near future and make the place better to live.
We must have National Debate on Safety. Even on highways, people drive in wrong direction at high speed. Trucks are always overloaded, Lane changing is a common feature. Overtaking in Tunnels and Bridges also seems common. Even on Mumbai Pune Express-way many trucks drive with no tail lights and Volvo Buses drive at speeds far exceeding the prescribed speed limits. Educating public will be unfruitful unless severe penalties are imposed on all traffic rules violators.
Few comments: 1) Driving tests as already noted should be done by an independent authority and should be strict. 2) Cameras should be installed at all major points and these should pick up offenders automatically. Fines should be issued automatically to the owner/driver without a human intermediary. The money generated from fines should boost the income of the Motor Vehicles department. 3) Both print and visual media should cooperate and allow free advertisements at regular intervals on road safety, politeness on road, traffic rules and regulations, highway code etc. to educate the public. 4) Driving schools should be licensed and should provide quality driving instructions. I believe Maruti Udyog have set up model driving schools in various cities.
As far as metropolitan cities are concerned, people should try to use public transport for daily commutation like going to office. If that is not possible, at least, 2-4 colleagues can share a car. This alone will definitely improve urban road safety and improve the urban air quality which is another equally important issue.
Congrats for writing on an important issue. Apart from infrastructure
and enforcement, people have to realize the importance of following
traffic rules and adopting safety measures. Efforts have to made to
educate the public
In India we are never running short of laws.Where we lack is its enforcement.If minimum 20% is followed things will be quite different.If seriousely analysed, one will easily come to the conclusion that the reason for most of the accidents taking place in night time is due to lack of self illuminative reflective tapes which costs a normal sum.Our road medians, curved roads, dead ends,emerging deviations etc., needs sufficient reflective tapes properly affixed.To make things worse Indians are obsessed with sticking of posters even on place pointers and caution boards -the reason is the face of the leader/film stars should be seen by all the people who move through the respective roads.So the best place is the caution boards and the road medians.Let election come our political parties compete with each other to see that no more conspicous space is left free- no matter how many precious lives it claims.
Very important for me this issue of road safety. We all are potential victims of traffic accidents. And strongly believe a very small thing could change a lot and save the life of many of us. for example, a proper test at the time of issuing the driving licence .... the rule is there and we are reluctant to follow. a person who is not able to pass the exam in Bangalore for three times could get a licence from a comparably a smaller town without even going to the office.. do not we expect more accidents out of this act. Feeling pity of those lost their lives without knowing that they have done a mistake for what they are killed.... Please take the life of innocents into account and let us live all together in this small world...
It is hightime that the Metropolitan Transport Corporation educate its bus drivers. They ruthlessly zigzag on the roads paying scan regard to other road users. Wherever there is gap (say while waiting for the signal) they take their bus to that corner. They also bully other vehicles. Similarly education should be given to auto drivers. Whenever they have passengers they whiz past and when they don't have any, they go very slow looking for passengers than looking at the road. I understand that the bus drivers have deadlines to meet and the autowallahs office is the road - but still they will have to drive respectfully as road is a dangerous place that can cause fatal injuries.
the editorial is timely and presents the graveness of the problem of road safety. Apart from other measures, the public transport system has to be strengthened to reduce emphasis on private vehicles leading to traffic congestion.The timings of schools and colleges and offices have to be staggered to avoid rush hour.People should avoid unnecessary travel and resort other kinds of message transfer such as net or cell.The rural areas have to be developed to check or reduce migration to the urban areas for livelihood or entertainment.
Good gearing up of common mind to avoid and completely know road rashes.
In Delhi what I see people encourage their underaged offsprings to learn driving.People including ladies drink in party and drive big cars! Why to blame only truck drivers!
Pedestrians are the worst hit. They are never considered part of the road users. The shopkeepers keep their wares/advt boards by encroaching; the vendors occupy part of the space known as platforms. If the pedestrian walks on the road the vehicles knock him down. The continuous stream of traffic never slows down and stop for the people who want to cross from one side of the road to the other. Jay walking is done by some youth but most of the people are suffering a lot due to cramped space to walk through.
People have to understand and follow traffic rules. I notice every day, at least in
Chennai, that people casually drive in the wrong direction on roads, be it highways or normal roads. No one gives scant respect for rules. Also, traffic lights seem to be some sort of road-side decorations. Many do not work. Even those lights that work are not being respected by motorists, who just whiz past those signals unmindful of other motorists on the road. No one knows the meaning driving in their lanes. Police and other government bodies entrusted with imposing and maintaining road safety rules should get their act together and enforce, with all sincerity, at least the most important road rules.
Excellent choice of topic for the editorial. Indian roads are a very dangerious place. I am sure the numbers will be even higher for 2011 and add to it that not all accidents are reported. Law/Statutory bodies will definitely improve the situation. But that alone is not enough. Awareness about the safety on roads needs to be increased. Importantly, attitude of the people needs to change. Though slow, hopefully, it will happen. I notice that many of the traffic signals (even the stretch - GST to Mount Road) do not have the amber light. Wonder what the reasoning the police have.
Few points which I feel very important: 1. Issual of driving License - This has to be made more stricter. Should be overseen by an autonomous body. 2. All traffic signals within the City needs to be refurbished & logic provided with sensor & No Manual. One could see both green & red lit together only in Indian cities. 3. All lanes to be properly marked with enough space for pedestrians. On changing lanes, indicating lights should be made mandatory & should be part of the driving test. 4. Educate all Auto drivers / Lorry / Heavy vehicle drivers on road safety. 5. Most important of all, I see that no-one in India understand the term Highway. If we have pedestrian crossings and signals in Highways, the whole concept is lost. Walking People, bullock carts & tractors moving in highway can happen only here. The problem lies in the fact that we forget the significance, but lost in following just the rituals. If we correct our attitudes a bit, we could see bright sunshine soon........
Please Email the Editor