Archive for December, 2011
125660 people killed in road accidents in India during 2009
According to a National Road Safety Council report 125660 people killed in road accidents in India during 2009. The report titled ‘Road Accidents in India 2009’ which was compiled by this Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (based on the latest available data), said that 1,25,660 people were killed in road accidents in India during the year 2009. This is a huge number – this means 344 persons dying every day due to road accidents in India. This information was given by Indian Minister of State of Road Transport and Highways, Dr. Tushar A. Chaushary in a reply in Lok Sabha on 12 December 2011.
Disturbing Fact
No of persons who die in Road accidents in India everyday – 344
According to a press release by Government of India the deliberations in the last meeting of the National Road Safety Council, held on 25th March 2011, five separate working groups on four E’s of Road Safety viz. (i) Education (ii) Enforcement (iii) Engineering (roads as well as vehicles) and (iv) Emergency care were constituted to recommend measures to curb road accidents in the country. The reports submitted by the working groups are under process.
Four E’s of Road Safety
(i) Education
(ii) Enforcement
(iii) Engineering (roads as well as vehicles)
(iv) Emergency care
The Government in Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2007, introduced in Rajya Sabha in May 2007, provided for enhanced fines for the offence of drunken driving and other traffic violations. Enforcement of various provisions of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 is the responsibility of State Governments. This Ministry has issued instructions to all State Governments to invoke Section 185 of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 which provides for punishment of imprisonment or fine or both for the offence of drunken driving. The States have also been advised to remove liquor vendors along National Highways and not to renew the licenses of existing liquor vendors on National Highways.
However despite all these measures the implementation is poor and accidents rate is not seeing any downtrend. Government should try and focus on preventive measures (Education and Engineering) rather than coercive and reactive measures. Despite the glaring facts being shown the state and central governments are not taken any measures to improve the situation.
When will we learn? 125660 people killed in road accidents in India during 2009! More than 344 persons die every day due to road accidents in India. Will we ever learn?
