Strengthening Road Safety Measures – The Need of the Hour

Road Safety Measures

WHO has done a very commendable work in studying, compiling and publishing “Third Global Status Report on Road Safety – 2015” according to which 1.2 million lives are lost each year due to road traffic injuries. This write up emphasizes the dire need of strengthening road safety measures.

According to National Crime Records Bureau, Ministry of Road Transport & Highway, Law commission of India, Global status report on road safety 2013

  • 1214 road crashes occur every day in India.
  • Two wheelers account for 25% of total road crash deaths.
  • 20 children under the age of 14 die every day due to road crashes in in the country.
  • 377 people die every day, equivalent to a jumbo jet crashing every day.
  • Two people die every hour in Uttar Pradesh – State with maximum number of road crash deaths.
  • Tamil Nadu is the state with the maximum number of road crash injuries
Third Global status report on road safety 2015 says Road traffic injuries are the foremost cause of preventable death In the last three Years, 17 countries representing 409 million people have amended their laws on one or more key risk factors for road traffic injuries to bring them into line with best practice.

Factors which should be kept in mind to avoid road traffic injuries:-
(1) Enforcement plays an important role to the success of road safety laws
(2) Reduce speed
(3) Increasing motorcycle crash helmet use
(4) Stop drink and drug – driving
(5) Increase seat-belt use
(6) Increase child restraint use
(7) Reduce distracted driving
(8) Enhance public

Enforcement plays a major role in strengthening the success of road safety laws. In countries where legislation is not accompanied with enforcement, it is required to make public aware that breaking road safety rules can result in penalty.

Safe speed should tailor to fit with traffic composition and road’s function

Setting and implementing national speed limits is an important step in reducing speed. The core safety factor is that the driver at any chosen speed, must be in confident control to tide over any sudden appearance of hazard.

Effective enforcement of motorcycle helmet laws can increase helmet-wearing rates and thereby reducing head injuries, which is the main cause of fatalities. Helmet laws should cover all riders and specify a helmet quality standard.

Drink and drug driving enhances the chance of road accidents. There should be public awareness campaigns, police sobriety checkpoints and random breath testing for significant reductions in drink and drug driving crashes.

Seat-belt serves an important role in saving individuals from fatal injuries. Seat-belts limit the movement of vehicle drivers, thereby reducing the chances of any incident.

To prevent children getting injured or from accidents the best solution is to provide them with an independent age-appropriate child restraints on rear seats.

Strengthening road safety measuresEnhance public awareness about road safety rules

Distracted driving is one of the major and growing threat to road safety. Increasing use of mobile phone creates different types of distraction like auditory, visual, manual and cognitive.

Enhance public awareness about road safety rules. This can be done best with animation safety videos which are easy to visualize, are creative and practical.

The disturbing high rate of road fatalities and serious injuries warrant urgent attention of the government, police, law-enforcing agencies, managements, society and people at large. A multifaceted approach is required for effective and long-lasting changes to be made to national road safety. The above mentioned safety measures shall help reduce and tide-over the problem in a significant way.

You can watch safety driving tips and other EHS videos on Safety Animation Youtube channel. 

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