Professional Documents
Culture Documents
By
S.K. Mishra, Director (Road Transport)
Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Govt. of India
1. Accidents and the fatalities on road are the result of inter-play of a number
of factors. Road users in India are heterogeneous in nature, ranging from
pedestrians, animal-driven carts, bi-cycles, rickshaws, handcarts and tractor
trolleys, to various categories of two / three wheelers, motor cars, buses, trucks,
and multi-axle commercial vehicles etc.
2. The absolute number of vehicles has increased from 3.06 lakhs in 1951 to
67 million in 2003. The trend of increase in the vehicle population in the country
is as under:
(In Thousands)
Year 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 1996 2000 2001 2002 2003
No. of 306 665 1865 5391 21374 33786 48857 54991 58863 67033
vehicles (E)
(E=Estimated)
In 2003, cars numbered 8.6 million (12.9%), buses 0.73 million (1.1%),
trucks 3.5 million (5.2%), and motorcycles 47.5 million (70.9%).
The vehicle population has been steadily increasing with the pace picking
up significantly since the Eighties. Increase in vehicle population in the face of
the limited road space used by a large variety of motorized and non-motorized
traffic has heightened the need and urgency for a well-thought-out policy on the
issue of road safety. Government of India is alive to the issue and has accorded
a high priority to the same.
3. More than eighty thousand people are killed and around four lakhs injured
in about four lakhs reported road accidents in the country every year.
The summary of the accident data for the last five years is as under:-
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3.1 Pedestrians and two-wheeler riders are some of the most vulnerable road
users in the country. A table depicting the accident related deaths of pedestrians
and two-wheeler riders is given below:
Accident-related deaths:
3.2 Internationally, road accident and fatalities are measured in terms of their
number for 10000 vehicles. By this measure, accidents and fatalities have shown
a steadily declining trend in India. The trend for last 5 years is as under:-
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3.3 Procedure for road accident data collection
4. Causes of Accidents:
An analysis carried out on the accident data for the year 2003 shows that the
main causes of road accident in our country are: drivers’ fault (77.91%),
pedestrian fault/fault of passengers (1.36%), mechanical defect in vehicles
(2.01), bad roads (1.32%) and other factors like bad weather, cattle coming in the
way, fallen trees, road blockage, absence of rear reflectors. road signages, non-
functioning of road signals etc. (17.40%).
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far around 18000 kilometers of National Highways have been entrusted to NHAI
under various phases of National Highway Development Project (NHDP). The
balance length of National Highways is managed by the Department of Road
Transport and Highways, Govt. of India through PWDs of States or other road
agencies.
NHAI has engaged consultants for getting road safety audit done for 2757
kms of National Highways covering the following sections:
As far as the other roads are concerned, the Ministry reviews the
specifications and disseminates the safety codes to the States and other road
agencies.
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enforcement of these provisions is the responsibility of the Transport and Police
Departments of the State Governments.
(a) Refresher Training for heavy vehicle drivers: The Central Government
operates a scheme for a two-day long “refresher training to heavy motor vehicle
drivers in the unorganized sector” to inculcate safe driving habits, acquaint the
drivers with the rules on roads and help them keep their vehicles in road-worthy
condition. For the last two years, awareness of HIV / AIDS has also formed part
of the training curriculum. The scheme is administered through a number of
NGOs / Institutions spread across the country under the supervision of the State
Governments. The Central Government sanctions the programmes and pays for
the cost of the training which also includes honorarium to the drivers (in lieu of
wages foregone), accident insurance for one year and medical check-up for
drivers. Since a significant number of drivers are illiterate, an attempt is being
made to prepare and standardize audio-visual training material for the training.
The progress achieved so far is as under:-
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(b) Model Driving Training School: Financial assistance is being provided
by the Central Government to States/ UTs and NGOs for setting up of Model
driving training schools. The scheme, started in the year 2002-03, entails a one-
time capital grant to set up the school with driving tracks, model-rooms, class-
rooms, hostels and simulators, etc. The grantee undertakes to provide part of the
capital funding, adequate land free of all encumbrances and be responsible for
operation and maintenance of the school. The objective of scheme is to turn out
safe and well- trained drivers before they go for the pre-licensing tests and impart
refresher training to on-the-job drivers. So far 10 schools in the States of West
Bengal, Assam, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, NCT of
Delhi, Uttaranchal, Orissa and UP have been sanctioned. One of them, the
school in Andhra Pradesh has already started functioning since August, 2005.
(c) Apart from the above, the Central Government has been working with the
States to strengthen the post –accident trauma-care infrastructure and facilities
on the National Highways. Under a central scheme known as National Highway
Accident Relief Service Scheme (NHARSS) cranes and ambulances are
provided to States/ NGOs to help them promptly respond in the aftermath of
accidents to evacuate victims of road accidents to nearest medical aid centers
and clear the site of accident of the obstruction. The Central Government is
encouraging the States to set up a system of highway patrol with a chain of
Traffic Aid Centers at intervals of 30–50 kms on highways equipped with
ambulance, crane, patrol vehicle and enforcement staff with their equipments to
regulate traffic and provide medical assistance to victims of accidents within the
first hour of accident (Golden Hour). As mentioned earlier, NHAI has adopted
the policy of provision of an ambulance at an interval of 50 kilometers on the
completed stretches of projects handed over to O&M contractors. Ministry of
Health, Govt. of India also administers a scheme for up-gradation of trauma care-
facilities in district hospitals located near the highways. So far 71 hospitals have
been upgraded under the scheme. Department of Road Transport and Highways
and Ministry of Health are working together to synergize the effort to achieve
optimum results with the limited funds available.
Safety components, such as, safety belts, laminated safety glass for
windshield, instrument panel and lighting system, rear view mirrors, power
steering in case of buses and heavy commercial vehicles, etc, have already been
mandated. A Road Safety Map is at advanced stage of formulation in
consultation with automobile industry.
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The thrust of the policy is to gradually harmonize our standards with the
ECE standards. As on date, 76 regulations out of 124 regulations in ECE have
been harmonized fully or partially. After participating in the meetings of World
Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP-29), a UN-ECE body as an
observer, India has joined WP-29 by acceding to 1998 agreement on Global
Technical Regulations. This is expected to accelerate the pace of harmonization
of the country’s standards with world standards.
The current regulations provide for an annual fitness check for transport
(commercial) vehicles. Personal vehicles come for fitness check after 15 years
of the initial registration. They, however, undergo six monthly Pollution Under
Control checks. The main constraint in the way of expansion of the scope of the
regulation to cover personal vehicles under periodical fitness check is the
inadequacy of the infrastructure and manpower with the Motor Vehicle
departments in the States. The Central Government is working with the States to
bring in a phased programme of introduction of modern Inspection and
Maintenance system in the country.
7. Other important road safety issues and their status in India:
(a) Use of helmets: Section 129 of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 makes it
compulsory on the part of all two-wheeler riders and pillion riders to wear a
protective head gear conforming to relevant Indian standards. The law however
makes certain exceptions for persons who can not use helmets on account of the
religious reason of having to wear turbans. The law also empowers State
Governments to exempt certain categories of two-wheeler users by notification in
their official gazettes. The judicial proclamations on the issue have consistently
supported use of helmets. Recently the Central Government has also mandated
sale of a helmet conforming to Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) along with the
first-time sale of a two-wheeler. It has not been possible on the part of police
authorities in the States to fully enforce the provision on wearing of helmets on
account of lack of adequate personnel and stiff resistance by the community of
two-wheeler riders. The Central Government has been launching awareness
campaigns on the issue.
(b) Daylight use of front-lights: It is not mandatory in India to keep the front
or back lights on during the day. In a country with abundant sunlight, the need for
this measure has not been felt.
(d) Law regarding child restraint: Child restraint has not been mandated in
the country yet. It is, however, a part of the safety road map under formulation.
The regulation may come in two year’s time.
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(e) Use of seat-belts: Central Motor Vehicle Rules mandate fitment and use
of seat belts in most categories of four-wheelers (front seats and front facing rear
seats)
National Road Safety Council (NRSC) is the apex body for road safety
established under Section 215 of MV Act, 1988. This is chaired by the Minister
(Shipping, Road Transport and Highways) with Ministers in charge of Road
Transport in States/ Union Territories, Director General of Police of all States and
representatives from the relevant Ministries/Departments / Institutions/NGOs as
members. The body normally meets once in a year and gives directions on
implementation of road safety policies. Some of the States also have State Road
Safety Councils.
9.1 A Road Safety Policy prepared by the Ministry in the year 1992 and
adopted by the National Road Safety Council in 1994 contained the following:
List of safety features for vehicle design (e.g. safety belt, air bags,
collapsible steerings, braking performance etc).
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Design of road junctions,
Traffic guidance, road signs, speed limit posts, and other traffic control
devices.
9.2 The policy aimed at a targeted reduction in the accidents related to the
number of vehicles (and not the number of persons killed). After a few years, it
became apparent that while number of accidents and deaths for 10000 vehicles
could show a secular decline with increasing motorization, the absolute number
of fatalities could still be very high. The policy also did not address the
organizational issues and it also became clear that without clear delineation of
roles and responsibilities and the responsibility vested in a single organization
becoming responsible for achieving road accident reduction targets, it would be
impossible to tackle a serious and cross-cutting issue like road safety. A new
policy has been drafted. The comments and suggestions of the public have been
invited. The committee of experts remitted to go into the issue of a dedicated
road safety body has also been requested to examine the draft policy and give
recommendations thereon.
9.3 The Committee on Infrastructure headed by the Prime Minister has also
been putting a lot of emphasis on the issue of road safety. Under its directions, a
proposal to set up a dedicated road safety fund with 1 percent of the revenue
allocated to NHAI out of the cess or petrol / diesel is under consideration.
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the involvement of two NGOs manned by medical professionals on Gurgaon and
Amer (Dr. M.N. Tandon Memorial Charitable Trust managing a community based
initiative for reducing road accident mortality and morbidity on NH-8) and
Ahmedabad-Surat – Manohar (Lifeline Foundation, Baroda managing evacuation
of accident victims to nearest medical centres).
9.5 The single most significant constraint has been the absence of a single
agency capable of and charged with the responsibility of tackling the road
accidents as a cross-sectoral issue requiring multi-pronged action by many
agencies in most of the States. The absence of such a single integrated
mechanism at the level of States, where most of the action lies, comes in the way
of tackling the issue with the purposeful focus it deserves. Strengthening the
regulatory and enforcement machinery to ensure proper maintenance of vehicles
and observance of other traffic safety regulations has also proved to be a difficult
and formidable challenge. Enforcement of tried and tested safety devices such
as helmets and seat-belts has also not been successful. The primary reason for
the same is that attention paid to educating the masses as well as opinion
leaders has been inadequate. As with many aspects in developing countries,
finding resources for such tasks is a challenge.
10. The lessons that can be learnt from India’s experience are as follows:
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11. Ideas and Activities that ESCAP can promote: With the
operationalization of Asian Highways, the following issues would require urgent
attention:
• Equipping and training police and other agencies to collect, compile and
analyse accident data, and investigate accidents.
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