Overhaul the transport sector to improve record
The latest figures on road accidents in India give us no reason to celebrate but they do offer a sliver of hope and some scope for cautious optimism. The numbers released by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways show that while road safety remains a grave concern across the country, the situation is not on the downward spiral. Compared to 2012, there were fewer accidents and casualties in 2013.
Yes, the dip has been marginal — just 0.8 per cent in the first case and 0.5 per cent in the second — even as the severity rate of accidents, that is, the number of people killed per 100 accidents, has increased by 0.3 per cent. But still, given the number of vehicles that are added to the roads every year — Delhi alone adds 1,400 cars to its roads every day — as well as the general increase in population, these figures should not be dismissed for showing no signs of improvement.
On the contrary, they indicate that measures taken by the authorities in recent years to increase public awareness about road safety are finally paying off. For example, media campaigns warning against the perils of drunk driving and talking on the cell phone while at the wheel, have surely made an impact. These initiatives must now be expanded and pushed harder.
Equally importantly, traffic violations have to be dealt with sternly. Transport infrastructure also needs to be improved. This includes minor upgrades, such as warning signs at accident-prone spots, to major improvements, such as truck bays at regular intervals on highways to keep drivers refreshed. In short, an overhaul of the entire sector is needed.
Thankfully, the Modi Government has already started this project. late last year, it proposed a road and highway safety legislation that covers a wide variety of sectors, from registration of motor vehicles and the issuance of licenses and permits to drivers, to the management of traffic police monitoring systems. Incorporating some of the best global practices in road safety, this Bill will be placed in Parliament in the upcoming Budget Session and, hopefully, will come into force sooner than later.
However, any law is only good as its implementation. Outside of the Government sector, automobile manufacturers will also have to play an important role to improve road safety. Car crash tests done last year, for example, showed that many of India's most popular four-wheelers did not meet international standards.
The Government has said that it will make safety measures, such as air-bags and anti-lock braking systems, compulsory for all cars. This is sure to meet with some industry resistance as the additional features will increase costs in a price-sensitive market. However, the Government must not back down. It needs to make clear that safety features are not a luxury, and the life of no Indian, no matter how the car he drives, is worth risking on the roads. This is an attitude that even the public needs to internalise.