ROAD SAFETY IN INDIA

S.K. MISHRA
DIRECTOR(ROAD TRANSPORT)
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
 ARE INDIAN ROADS
DIFFERENT?
• Traffic conditions vary.
• Heterogeneous traffic in India – ranging
from pedestrians to animal – drawn carts,
non-motorized traffic, two-wheelers, cars,
buses and trucks.
• Different traffic sharing the same road
space while roads and vehicles get more
modern.
GROWTH OF VEHICLE
POPULATION
Year No. of vehicles (in million)

1951 0.3

1971 1.9

1991 21.4

2001 55.0

2003 67.0
COMPOSITION OF FLEET

Category Percentage share

in 2003
Cars 12.9
Buses 1.1
Trucks 5.2
Motorcycles 70.9
 TREND OF ACCIDENTS

Year All roads National Highways

Accidents killed injured Accidents killed injured

1999 386456 81966 375051 103839 28713 98427

(P)
2000 391449 78911 399265 110508 30216 124600
2001 405637 80888 405216 115824 32108 119592
(P)
2002 407497 84674 408711 131738 33621 132307
2003 406726 85998 435122 127834 33153 131102
 TREND OF ACCIDENTS IN
RELATION TO VEHICLES
Year No. of vehicles Accidents Fatalities Accidents per Fatalities per
10000 10000
(in thousands) vehicles vehicles
1999 44875 386456 81966 86.12 18.27

2000 48857 391449 78911 80.12 16.15

2001 54991 405637 80888 73.76 14.7

2002 58924 407497 84674 69.23 14.39

2003 67033 (P) 406726 85998 60.68 12.83

 ROAD ACCIDENT DATA
COLLECTION
• Existing system
• UN-ESCAP sponsored APRAD/IRAD
project
 CAUSES AND COST
OF ACCIDDENTS
• Drivers’ fault – 77.91%
• Pedestrian fault / fault of passengers - 1.36%
• Mechanical defect in vehicles - 2.01%
• Bad roads – 1.32%
• 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%
• Cost of road accidents – 3% of GDP (estimated
in the year 2000)
 MEASURES TAKEN -
ENGINEERING
• Design stage
• Role of Indian Road Congress
• NHAI roads – Geometric and safety standards
including flyovers, grade separators, by-passes,
Railway Over/Under bridges, bus/truck lay-byes,
informatory retro-reflective sign boards, crash
barriers, median railings, thermoplastic road
markings, traffic lights and delineators.
• Bye-passes and service lanes
• Road Safety Audit
 ENFORCEMENT MEASURES
• Testing the competence of drivers at the time of
licensing
• Checking the physical fitness of vehicles and
their compliance with regulations at the time of
registration and periodical fitness check of
commercial vehicles
• Statutory use of helmets, wearing of seat-belts,
detection / prosecution of drunken driving and
prevention of plying of overloaded vehicles.
EDUCATIONAL MEASURES
• Awareness campaigns through print and
electronic media,
• Calendars, posters, hand bills/stickers and
fund games for school children
• Observance of the Road Safety Week
• Appreciated by a large number of persons
and organizations including Members of
Parliament.
• Road safety part of curriculum in class VII
under Central Board of Secondary Education.
 VEHICLE SAFETY
• Central Government has powers under Motor
Vehicles Act.
• Both active and passive safety covered.
• Already legislated - safety belts, laminated
safety glass for wind sheet, rear view mirrors,
and power-steering for certain category of
vehicles.
• A Road Safety Map under preparation.
• Progressive harmonization with ECE.
• Accession to 1998 Agreement of WP-29
 IMPORTANT CENTRAL
SCHEMES
• Refresher training to drivers – 46,458
covered in 2005.
• Model Driving Training Schools – 10
already sanctioned.
• National Highways Accident Relief Service
Scheme
 ROAD SAFETY ORGANIZATION

• National Road Safety Council.

• Department of Road Transport &
Highways.
• National Highways Authority of India.
• Transport, Police, Health and Road
Agencies at the State level.
• Committee of Experts to suggest a road
safety body at Central level.
 THE WAY FORWARD
• A complete and comprehensive system and
scientific approach to the issue involving all
relevant agencies and stakeholders.
• Re-look at organizational issues.
 WHAT CAN ESCAP DO?
• Universalisation of road signs and signage.
• Promotion of time-tested safety devices such as
seat-belts and helmets.
• Campaigns against drunken driving and for
promotion of safe driving practices.
• Equipping and training police and other
agencies to collect, compile and analyze
accident data, investigate accidents, enforce
speed limits and detect drunkenness.
• Sharing the best-practices in road-safety among
countries of the region.
• .
 WHAT CAN ESCAP DO?
- contd.
• Networking of academic and research bodies
• Designing simple and effective technical aids to
make driver licensing procedure safe and
foolproof.
• Building and sharing motor vehicle and driver
databases of countries in the region.
• Segregation of different streams of traffic on
Asian Highways.
• Coverage of third-party insurance along AH
THANK YOU