Biggest killer

Context: Road accidents continue to be the biggest killer in the State(assam),
accounting for some 3,000 deaths annually on an average besides injuring many
more. The two-month period from September to October this year recorded 570
fatalities, laying bare that the ominous trend has far from over. While human
error, including negligent driving, drink driving and driving in violation of
road safety norms, has been the biggest factor behind fatal road mishaps, it is
also apparent that the interventions made by the Government have been far from
adequate. A sizeable number of mishaps is also caused by the shocking lapses on
the part of authorities like the Transport Department, PWD and police mandated with
the task of making the road safe for commuters.

Key points

·       Overview: India recorded
over 1.72 lakh road fatalities in 2023, highlighting the country’s global lead
in road accident deaths.

·       Causes
of Road Accidents: Lack of essential safety features like airbags in
many budget-friendly cars in India. Overcrowding of roads with vehicles,
pedestrians, and animals.

Ø  Behavioural
Issues - Lack of adherence to rules, over-speeding and reckless driving.

Ø  Road Engineering
-
Potholes, black spots, and inadequate infrastructure.

Ø  Enforcement Gaps
-
Weak implementation of traffic laws, especially at state and district levels.

Ø  Vehicle
Standards - Need for improved automobile engineering and technology.

Ø  Awareness and
Education - Insufficient awareness programs on road safety.

·       Impacts
of Road Accidents: Impact on the economy - Road crashes cost
the Indian economy around 5-7% of its GDP annually.

Loss of life - In India, a
traffic accident claims the life of one person approx. every three and a half
minutes.

Disproportionate
impact on the poor - The financial loss due to road accidents amounted
to more than seven months of household income, while it was equivalent to less
than one month’s household income for affluent households.

Increased
out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure - Under-coverage of health insurance facilities
uplifts medical and non-medical expenditures, imposing severe financial burdens
and pushing non-poor families into poverty and the already poor into extreme
poverty and indebtedness.

·       Road
Safety Initiatives in India: National Road Safety Policy India, 2010 -
It emphasised the need for better road infrastructure, stricter traffic rule
enforcement, enhanced emergency medical services, public awareness campaigns,
and improved post-crash care.

Supreme Court
Committee on Road Safety (SCCoRS) - Established in 2014 to
address the issue and guide and monitor all states and UTs to bring down crash
fatalities in the country.

Motor Vehicles
Amendment Act, 2019 - The Act introduced higher penalties for traffic
violations, including speeding, drunk driving, and not wearing helmets or seat
belts, and imposed stricter penalties for offences by juveniles.

Integrated Road
Accident Database (iRAD) - It is a central accident database management system
that analyses the causes of road crashes and devises safety interventions to
reduce them.

·       Way
Forward: Improved Road Infrastructure - Address potholes and build more
underpasses and foot-over bridges across state and district highways.

Behavioural
Interventions - Promote respect for traffic rules through awareness campaigns by
engaging NGOs and communities in road safety education.

Technology and
Innovation - Integrate AI-based traffic management systems; Mandate advanced vehicle
safety features (like airbags and ADAS).

State-Level
Cooperation - Active participation of state govts in addressing local road safety
issues.

Raise Awareness
-
More efforts are needed to promote awareness about road safety, the
implications of road accidents, and what needs to be done to reduce the
increasing number of road accidents.