There is a strong correlation between education and road accidents. A latest report by the Transport Research Wing of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways have found that 70 per cent of all road accidents in Punjab are caused by people who are matric pass or even lesser.
The report classified the accidents according to educational qualifications of drivers in the year 2014. Out of the total 6,391 accidents reported in Punjab in 2014, 1317 persons involved studied up to Class VIII, 2,055 up to Class VIII-X, 1,941 were of Class X and above, while the qualification of 1078 were unknown.
The experts believed that the lack of understanding of traffic rules, recklessness, driving under intoxication, over-speeding by the semi-literates are some of the causes of road accidents. “Most of the drivers are illiterate, they join as cleaners and transition to become license-less drivers and thus become undertakers of innocent lives,” said International Road Safety Expert Dr Kamaljit Soi.
Sharing the report, Dr Soi said that over 70 percent of all road accidents in Punjab are caused by the people who are 10 standard or less classes pass or even lesser. “This means that illiterate drivers are responsible for over 3300 deaths. The reasons can be lack of understanding of traffic rules, recklessness, driving under intoxication, over speeding. And the lack of respect for fellow citizens,” he said.
Stressing on the need of education in road safety, Dr Soi believed that more the literate, there were less chances of our being involved in road accidents. Also the Punjab Road Safety Council vice-chairman, he said opined stringent rules to issue licenses, computer-aided traffic test, road safety education at a tender age, and hefty penalties.
“Drivers must pass the traffic license rules exam with stringent conditions. Education must be imparted at young age, every adult must pass traffic exam conducted by computer-aided system and should not have any human interaction,” suggested Dr Soi. He added that in case any one fail, they should start all over again.
“Tests must be made annual feature. No exceptions, if you are behind a wheel, you must display a computer-aided neon display for law enforcers on the road. If you fail to display, the car must be impounded on the spot and car towed to a pound where you can reclaim after paying a hefty penalty,” he said.
Travelling on Punjab roads continues to be a tryst with death. Punjab loses more than 5000 people every year out of reported 6500 road accidents.
As per the Ministry’s report, ludhiana city has become “deadliest” in India. The reports stated that chances of getting killed in a road accidents are highest in ludhiana in the whole country with the chance percentage standing at 67 percent. Second in the list is Amritsar which stands at over 60 per cent.