How we can prevent deaths on our roads

It is a chilling set of statistics that hardly does India proud. In 2012, the country reported nearly 1.39 lakh road deaths and over a lakh injuries in accidents. Through a decade (2003-12) over a million people were killed on roads and five million seriously injured with social costs in a single year totalling $10 billion.

Since 2002, the number of accidents has increased by 20 per cent, injuries by 25 per cent and road fatalities by a staggering 63 per cent. While increasing power and speed of vehicles, unscientific road design and unruly drivers have contributed to these numbers, it should be borne in mind that apathy to the seat belt law also played a role.

The Centre introduced seat belt anchorage and associated laws in 1994 for the front seat and eight years later for the rear. Quite predictably, execution was sloppy both at the central and state government levels. Many committees were set up since 2002 to draft polices but the bloodbath on our roads continue as India has surged ahead to emerge at the top of the list of road fatalities worldwide.

In 2011, the S Sundar panel suggested comprehensive changes in the 1989 Central Motor Vehicle Act. Apart from recommending hefty fines as well as a penalty point scheme that could lead to revoking of a license, the panel mooted delegating more power to states and providing adequate compensation to victims.

It was also around this time that the Government gave its go-ahead to the National Safety Policy and constitution of the National Road Safety Board. Its scope included road engineering; vehicle safety design; crash investigation, data collection and analysis; knowledge production, research and institutional linkages; road user behaviour strategies and education; capacity building; traffic management & enforcement; and post-trauma medical care.

In addition, a decision was taken to implement road safety based on 4Es: education, enforcement, engineering (roads & vehicles) and emergency care. Most of these initiatives are in line with global practices where each country has its unique challenges and has coped accordingly.

In Europe, countries with low populations like Sweden, Belgium, Finland and Germany have focused on education. The German Road Safety Council established in 1969 puts the human being, education and information at the centre of its work, relying on the philosophy of partnership and self-responsibility.

On the other hand, the US with its vast network of roads and higher/diverse population decided to focus on enforcement while education took a backseat. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has worked relentlessly in making seatbelts the focus of its attention. Despite this, only a handful of states account for over 90 per cent seat belt usage.

The NHTSA now proposes to spend 65 per cent of its $850 million outlay this fiscal on enforcement. It is also contemplating introduction of seatbelt interlocks that prevent the driver from operating the vehicle if he/she along with the passenger have not buckled up.

Unlike the West, traffic in India is a virtual maze with pedestrians, cyclists, three-wheelers, cars and two-wheelers jostling for space on poorly designed roads. With automakers now keen on targeting rural India as their new growth markets, motorisation is all set to rise. Considering that smaller towns account for 62 per cent of road deaths, this number will only increase.

What then is the solution going forward? In the short-term, the best bet is to opt for strict enforcement and frame laws based on the Sundar committee report. While this will help bring down deaths, it needs to go hand-in-hand with educating people on the realities of losing lives in accidents. Many low/medium income countries have effectively used social media right from the Internet and radio to television and films to spread the message. Turkey has the distinction of having its politicians as brand ambassadors in this cause. India can perhaps take the cue from success stories like the Pulse Polio campaign in its road safety drive.

Perhaps, we could start imparting road safety education as part of the school curriculum. In the UK, classes are mandatory for kids in the age group of four to 16. In Germany, parents and police are involved in topics like practical pedestrian training, safe behaviour in cars, seatbelts and child restraints. It is common to see parents taking their toddlers on a wooden bicycle with a helmet and reflectors.

Will such a day come in India when we actually value the meaning of life? The Government recently made it mandatory for carmakers to install a child restraint system on vehicles effective April 1, 2015. It remains to be seen if owners make use of it or if this will merely remain a decorative item.

The writer is Associate Vice President - Symphony Teleca Corporation

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