To reduce road accidents, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday pitched for fixed driving hours for commercial truck drivers similar to that of pilots, as well as on-board sleep detection sensors in commercial vehicles.

Gadkari said driving hours for truck drivers should be fixed similar to pilots’ to reduce fatigue-induced road accidents.

“Have directed officers to work on a policy to include On-Board Sleep Detection Sensors in Commercial Vehicles, at par with European standards,” Gadkari said at the National Road Safety Council (NRSC).

European countries have fixed duty hours for the Trucks drivers ranging from five to 12 hours whereas in India the drivers are under pressure to reach destination driving single handedly with no rest in between leading to fatigue, nausea and other sleep related disorders causing road fatalities.

The Minister also said he will also write letters to chief ministers and district collectors to ensure that district road committee meetings are held regularly and regular monitoring are done and updates shared religiously.

Gadkari through a Press statement said he has directed the council to meet every two months and share their updates. The Minister was conducting the first meeting of the new members appointed in NRSC.

The Centre formed the National Road Safety Board under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) as an initiative to contribute in the government’s plan to bring down road fatalities in the country as over 1.5 lakh individuals lose their lives on Indian roads every year.

India accounts for nearly 11 per cent of all road deaths in the world.

The National Road Safety Board acts as an advisory body to the government and establish policies for road safety.

The committee looks into improving road infrastructure and adding new innovations for traffic control.