Road safety in INDIA.
Problems that we face and the solutions we need!
Did you know,
- 1214 road crashes occur every day in India.
- 3 people die every 10 minutes.
- Two wheelers account for 29% of total road crash deaths.
- 20 children under the age of 14 die every day due to road crashes in the country.
- 377 people die every day, equivalent to a jumbo jet crashing every day.
Now you know.
Source: Google.
These stats might scare you but the intention is to create an awareness and the next time you are on the road you could be extra cautious & not scared.
Now that we know the stats, we start wondering what causes these mishaps? Why can’t I or you do something about it? Firstly, let’s go through the problems we as a country face when it comes to road usage.
- We are a hugely populated sub-continent, more the number of people, the more number of vehicles on road.
- Still observing and abiding by the ancient rules of Motor Vehicle Act.
- No strict action against the offenders.
- Lack of learning schools with advanced teaching facilities, or they are not encouraged enough.
- Mental Health is not a serious topic of consideration, which sometimes leads to road rage.
- Lack of awareness in the youngsters about the safety, rules and the aftermath of a mishap. Ignorance about the above mentioned point.
- Infrastructure needs to change.
- Schools and colleges need to educate the students on being a good road user. Start them young.
Let’s discuss a few of the above mentioned points in brief, as to how they happen and what best solutions can be sought for the same.
- For a densely populated nation like ours, the huge numbers can be a boon and a bane at the same time. Like, more number of vehicles on the road means good to the economy but the traffic is a caos. So, a simple solution would be to concentrate more on the public transport and improvising the last mile connectivity within the city needed to accommodate the bigger crowd.
- The Indian Motor Vehicle Act, was first drafted in 1914 and was passed as a complete Bill in 1988. But since then the number of updates with respect to time and tech has not been precise. An 18 year old can ride from a 100cc bike to a 1000cc or a 2000cc bike just as soon as he gets the license. This is not the case in most western countries and they have to earn the licenses based on their age, riding capabilities and proving by taking the test for the required category.
- Traffic cops work on a target for collecting fines, once they are met with their mark they fine you but not by law. This is a major loophole, people follow rules to avoid fines or pay bribes when caught and instead the public need to be educated about the safety by making them do it for themselves and not for the sake of a fine.
- Most of us would have learnt to drive/ride by the help of our friends and family, they would’ve learnt from theirs. Some of us would’ve gone to a driving school but thanks to their ‘adjustment with the Department’ and urgency in finishing off with one customer to get another it’s a matter of time we would’ve ended up back to square one, but in both cases the end result is an half learnt and shabby driver. Instead, if we had an institute for driving where an experienced instructor who personally guides you in a step by step syllabus both in theory and practicals the outcome will be a better road user. Though there are a few institutes they are not exposed to the public in between all the chaotic routine happening.
- How many times would we all have got into a brawl in a traffic signal? Most of the time it wouldn’t even be our mistake or even worse there won’t be one in the first place. It’s just the frustrations of other issues having an outburst at a wrong time and place. There’s an immediate need for us to take things a lil’ more cool and take the time we don’t think we want but need. Especially while on the road, commuting in the city or travelling on the highways.
- A lot of underaged kids are involved in road accidents in recent times and the graph is getting higher every year. The parents need to restrain their kids from getting behind the wheels before they can understand the consequences. People know the rules and what happens when they are not followed, but the fact that it’s ignored easily is where the problem lies.
- We all had those lessons about traffic rules and other important things about life in schools but as we got taught with other subjects these became less important. But if they are practiced every year inclining with the age they stay in the minds and the children become better road users.
“Be the change you want to see in the world”
-Mahatma Gandhi
When a petrol head like me, the guy who’s passionate every time when behind the wheels/bars(Handlebars) gets into hassles when on the road, wanted everyone to change the way they drove/rode. But that’s a task in itself and how would one person succeed in changing the MOB? And the very first step was be that change as an Individual and later lead the society by better examples. Started by unlearning and relearning the old and rustic methods of driving and riding, by taking time to learn in theory and applying them in real time made me a good road user. After observing the changes working good for me, I initiated the ‘Road Safety Awareness Campaigns’ by the support of Biking Buddies, a Motorcycling club I’m associated with & also whom I consider an extended family. At Biking Buddies it is believed in ‘Giving it back to the society’ and this is one among our many ways in doing so. We have conducted the campaign numerous times in Schools, Colleges & a Hospital for the past 4 years, by either riding around the city in a large capacity, by Making Veteran bikers share their advice to the young lot, by stopping the traffic offenders with the help of Traffic Police and R.T.O officials and making the school children give them road safety advice and a flower instead of the cops fine them.
Quite a read..? This is my first ever attempt in writing a blog and I’d really appreciate your feedback. Kindly tell how the reading experience was in the comments below, it’ll help me hone my writing.
Thank You!😁
