Drive Safely

During the ongoing Road Safety week, it is sobering to know what statistics have to say about our driving skills, behaviour on roads and the risks we pose to ourselves. While only 1% of global cars are on Indian roads, we account for 6% of the global road traffic accidents (RTA). In fact, India holds the dubious distinction of registering the highest number of road accidents in the world.  According to experts at the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NTPRC) the number of accidents for 1000 vehicles in India is as high as 35 while the figure ranges from 4 to 10 in developed countries.

Road fatalities have assumed epidemic proportions and are predicted to become the 5^th  highest killer in the world by 2030. An accident occurs every 7 minutes and at least 13 people die every hour in road accidents in the country, the latest report of the National Crime Records Bureau reveals. In 2007, 1.14 lakh people in India lost their lives in road mishaps — that’s significantly higher than 89.5 thousand road deaths in China. Road deaths in India registered a sharp 6.1% rise between 2006 and 2007. Road safety experts say the real numbers could be higher since many of these accident cases are not reported.

Highest deaths in India	In %	Killer States	Road deaths in ‘000
Truck occupants	22	Andhra Pradesh	13.7
Two wheelers	19	Maharashtra	13.7
Buses	11	UttarPradesh	12.5
Pedestrians	9	Tamil Nadu	12.0

Why do road accidents occur ?

·         Easy availability of license

·         Speeding

·         Punishment for speeding / errant drivers is light

·         Drunken driving

·         No helmets

·         Absence of seat belts & child restraints

·         Usage of cell phone while driving.

While both centre and state governments are pushing forward for building and constructing roads, very little is being done to ensure smooth and safe traffic in these express ways.

How can the figures come down?

·         Public awareness campaigns to improve road safety.  

·         Strictness about usage of helmets

·         Heavy fines for usage of cell phones while driving

·         Stringent laws for issuing licenses.

·         Heavy punishment for breaking traffic rules

Around 60% of RTAs are due to driver factors alone and another 30% due to a combination of roadways and driver factors. Interestingly 70% of drivers feel that their driving skills are good or excellent, but rate other drivers as dangerous. And while drunk driving continues to be the leading cause of accidents at night, use of cellphones has emerged as a major risk factor for daytime accidents.

The hazard of riding a 2-wheeler on narrow crowded Indian roads with fast cars driven by rash drivers, should be easy to comprehend. Deaths from 2-wheeler accidents occur due to injury to the head, the majority of which can be prevented by wearing helmets. It is indeed a tragedy that what makes a few young Indian 2-wheeler drivers occasionally wear helmets is not to save their heads but to avoid “harrassment” from traffic cops.

As published in HT City ( Hindustan Times) dated 3 january , 2010.