ROAD SAFETY

How to develop road safety culture in India

Transportation is one of the basic things that people use and need in their everyday lives. We use different modes of transportation like aeroplane, trains, boats, buses cars,  motorcycles and cycles. But the most abundant and commonly used of these are the cars, buses, and motorcycles.   This is the reason why there are a lot of vehicular accidents that happen every day. It may be caused by a lack of discipline of the driver, refusal to follow traffic rules, or poor infrastructure. Vehicular accidents usually lead to injuries or even death. However, there are traffic laws that may prevent these kinds of accidents to happen, but it is still up to the driver to follow these rules.

Every day when we open the newspaper we read about many road accidents. Millions of people nowadays are killed of accidents. But did anybody try to analyse the reasons of this serious problem? How to avoid this much of accident every day? Who is responsible for it? How can we manage to decrease the danger & effects of these accidents? How can we develop a system where the road safety culture can easily inherit? Simply it's by understanding our road safety rule & regulations. The only solution to avoid these kinds of problems is to develop a road safety culture in general people so that they follow the Safety rules and obey the laws of Traffics.
    Many people are not learning about road safety at their schools. In my opinion, I see that we must educate our children in young ages about road safety & how to safe ourselves when we are walking in the road. Many of our children go to schools by foot when their schools are not far away from their houses. This is not only the teachers responsibility as well as their parents responsibility too. Apart of this the Government also has too look very deeply into the roads infrastructure and creates the different lines as per the category of the vehicle and Zebra crossing with the attendants who will help needy people to cross the road. The following suggestion are proposed to be adopt by everyone to avoid the accidents:

Steps to be taken for Preventing Road Accidents

•Most important method to bring down accidents is strict enforcement of speed limits. 90 % of accidents can be avoided by strict enforcement of speed limits.

•Heavy Penalty should be imposed on ALL those who cross speed limits. If this is strictly implemented, nobody will dare to go at high speed.

•Existing speed limits should be brought down further.

•Heavy penalty should be imposed for those who cause accidents.

•Tamper proof speed controllers should be made mandatory for all heavy vehicles. New heavy vehicles should have built in tamper proof speed controllers.

•Two wheeler manufacturers should be asked to design two wheelers with a designed maximum possible speed of (say) 50/60 kmph. This limit may be decided based on the conditions of each country.

•New gadgets are to be developed for collision prevention and should be fitted on all vehicle. Research organizations should be asked to develop such gadgets on a war footing. For example, gadgets can be developed to automatically slow down the vehicle, if safe distance commensurate with the speed of the vehicle in front is not maintained. Gadgets can be developed for warning the driver, if the driver sleeps.

•Diving tests for issue of Driving license is to be made more stringent and foolproof.

•Lower age limit for two wheeler and Heavy Vehicle license should be raised to 21.

•Helmet should be made compulsory by law in all countries, OR impose a lower speed limit for those who do not use helmet. Issue of Helmet should be made mandatory with the sale of each two wheeler.

•Helmet should be made compulsory for back seat riders also.

•Ensure that all Helmet users are fixing the Chinstrap of Helmet. Otherwise it will not help during an accident.

•Ensure that only good quality Helmets that meet standard specifications are available in the market. The seller of sub standard helmate be booked under the rules.

•Existing traffic rules should be strictly enforced.

•Law should be modified such that the person who makes the accident has to bear (say) 0 to 10 % of the insurance claims, depending on severity of negligence. Also the compensations should be made very huge, making accidents unaffordable so that everyone will be very vigilant.

•All those who do not maintain the safe distance for the speed should be punished.

•Safety awareness should begin from childhood, as it is difficult to impart awareness to a grown up a human. If safety awareness is imparted at childhood, safety will be a habit.

•Video and Computer games that simulate Motor Racing should be banned by Government OR discouraged by parents as it will develop racing habit in children.

•All sorts of Motor sports, especially racing should be banned by government. Telecast of Motor Sports and Racing also should be banned.

•Racing, over speed / highly risky riding, driving by Heroes should not be filmed in cinemas and TV serials. Children are likely to imitate the same. Statutory warning will no help. Government should censor such scenes.

•Advertisements by automobile companies which include scenes of dangerous and risky riding or driving should be banned. Youngsters are likely to imitate the same. Statutory warnings will not help. Such ads will result in irreparable character formation regarding riding and driving in kids and children. Such children may make accidents in future.

•Children below a certain age should not be permitted to do cycling in busy roads and in roads where heavy vehicles are plying.

•Refreshment parlors should be made available at every 50 / 100 k.m. on all highways and important roads. Truck, Heavy vehicle drivers should be forced to refresh by having a face wash or by having a cup of tea or coffee.

•The practice of keeping the traffic signals in standby mode during nights and on holidays is to be reviewed and discontinued.

•Advertisement boards and other items that may obstruct visibility at junctions, curvatures and other parts of the roads should be removed immediately.

•Ensure that the money recovered as Road Tax is fully utilised for the construction and maintenance of roads.

•Time Punching of Private buses practiced in some regions should be discontinued as it is forcing the drivers to go at high speed, after traffic blocks.

•Newspaper, Television and other media should be effectively used for Public Safety Awareness.

• Major accidents and accident prone areas should be analysed scientifically.

•Speed should be restricted at accident prone areas.

•More stringent traffic rules should be enacted.

•License of those who are involved in accidents should be suspended immediately, at least until they prove that they are not guilty.

•License of those who make serious accidents should be cancelled immediately.

•All the roads should be maintained properly. Permanent contracts or arrangements should be in place for maintaining all roads in good condition 24 hours a day, 365 days an year. If a gutter is repaired in time it can save a life !!!

•Health of vehicles should be strictly enforced.

• Eyes of old aged driving license holders should be checked at regular intervals.

• License of drunkard drivers and riders should be cancelled for life immediately.

•Judicial Commissions should be setup to monitor steps taken to control road accidents and to monitor the accident rates on a weekly basis.

• One way traffic should be implemented in all roads as far as possible. Roads should be widened wherever required. Curvatures should be minimised. Medians should be constructed in roads with two way traffic.

•Footpaths and medians should be made mandatory for all important roads and for all new roads.

•Zebra crossings should be provided for pedestrians for safe road crossings at appropriate places.

•Signals for road crossings should be provided at important and busy places where a large number of people have to cross the road everyday.

• Roads should be properly marked. Sign posts should be provided wherever required.

•Humps should be provided at all important places, accident prone areas. Humps should be made mandatory for all sub roads where it enters a main road.

•Construction, size and shape of the Humps should be scientific. All the Contractors of the Public Works and other departments should be provided with the details of scientific Hump construction.

•Humps should be clearly marked, to avoid accidents. Methods of permanent nature should be followed in Hump marking. For example white marble pieces / white color / fluorescent pigment can be used.

•Provision of small pilot humps few meters before humps can also be considered to ensure that humps are not left unnoticed.

•Obstructions on road sides caused by unauthorised construction and road side sales should be eliminated completely.

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Visibility should be increased near curvatures. Sometimes, even cutting of grass to increase visibility can help save many lives.

•Road Safety Day / Road Safety Week should be observed in all Schools, every year. Competitions on Road Safety Tips, Slogans, Essays, Paintings etc. should be conducted for students of various classes.

•School Buses should be painted with Bright Yellow color.

•Let ‘Road Safety’ be a mandatory topic for School Projects for all classes, every year.

•A small pool of water or a hanging branch of tree on roadsides can cause accidents as such obstructions will make the pedestrians and drivers to take sudden LATERAL movement and result in accidents. Hence any obstruction on road sides which can cause a LATERAL movement should be rectified immediately.

•Black color should not be permitted for Cycles. Default color for Cycles should be changed to Yellow.

•Automobile and cycle manufacturers should be asked to stop producing black and dark vehicles. Yellow or other bright colored vehicles should be produced instead.

•Front and Back of Lorries and Trucks should be painted with bright Yellow color to increase visibility. This will help to prevent collisions while Lorries and Trucks are parked on roadside without parking lights switched on.

•Reflectors should be fixed on Front and Back of Trucks and Lorries.

•Accident statistics should be periodically reviewed to understand the effect of actions taken. Corrective steps should be taken based on these reviews.

•Attention distracting Hoardings, banners, posters, advertisements etc should be banned near roads and highways.

• Default color of Helmets should be changed to Yellow to reduce accidents by increased visibility. Black and dark colors should not be permitted.

• All automobile manufacturers should be asked to strengthen safety standards of vehicles by improved design.

•And, last but not least, share these tips with all your friends, relatives, colleagues, other contacts, government officials and voluntary organisations to save many lives.

•Safety awareness should begin from childhood, as it is difficult to impart awareness to a grown up human. If safety awareness is imparted in childhood, safety will be a habit. So impart Road Safety and General Safety awareness to your children during childhood itself, preferably before the age of six.

•Video and Computer games that simulate racing should be discouraged by parents as it will develop irreparable racing habit in children.

•Parents of children residing near busy roads should keep the Gates closed always.

•Do not give cycles and two wheelers to your children until they are mentally mature enough.

•Ensure that children use Helmet while using Two Wheelers.

•Back seat riders also should use Helmet.

•If Helmet is not available do not accept the offer for a lift.

•Don’t forget to fix the Chinstrap of your Helmet. Otherwise it will not help during an accident.

•Ensure that your Helmet is of good quality meeting standard specifications. Otherwise replace it TODAY.

•Most important method to prevent road accidents is restriction of speed. 90 % of accidents can be avoided by limiting speeds.

•Always maintain safe distance with the vehicle in front.

•Don’t let your children to use mobile phones while driving / riding.

•Ask your children to avoid Mobile phone while walking, driving, riding on the road.

• Ask your children to avoid FM Radio, Media Players etc. while walking, driving, riding on the road.

•When your family is planning a new car, go for a yellow or other bright colored one. Sometimes, it may help in averting an accident because of it’s high viability, Avoid the black and dark colors as far as possible.

•Buy ONLY yellow or bright colored cycle for your children.

•Let the preferred color for two-wheeler also be yellow.

• Never drink and drive. Somebody is waiting for you at home.

• Never use mobile phones while driving, riding.

•Avoid long trips during night, as far as possible.

•Insist that your child uses bright colored dresses, if your child is going for an early morning walk or cycling or walking on a road during night or if the lighting is poor due to mist or some other reason.

•If you are driving at night, get refreshed at regular intervals by having a face  wash or by having a cup of Coffee or Tea. Some of the co-passengers should ensure that you are awake.

•There is a practice of keeping the traffic signals in standby mode during nights and on holidays. It is highly risky, hence be extra cautious at junctions with signal system in standby mode.

•Advertisement boards and other items may obstruct visibility at junctions, curvatures and other parts of the roads. Hence be cautious about them.

•A small pool of water or a hanging branch of tree or rope or cable on roadside can cause accident, as such obstructions will make the pedestrians and drivers to take sudden LATERAL movement. Drivers and Pedestrians should not make sudden lateral movement.

•Restrict speed at known accident prone areas.

•Check up your vehicle regularly and especially before long journey.

•Teach your children to look behind before making any lateral movement while walking on the road. Let them make it a habit so that they will do it automatically before making any lateral movement.

•Children playing ball games like Football, Cricket, Tennis etc. near Roads are likely to run across the road carelessly to pick the ball as the ball goes out of the field. Strict instructions should be given to children to be very careful while crossing the road to pick the ball.

•Small children have a tendency to run across or along the roads, all of a sudden on seeing their parents, siblings, friends or relatives etc. Hence small children should be given strict instructions not to do that. Also try to avoid such circumstances on roads as far as possible. For example when children return from school, we should reach the bus stop in advance to pick them to home. If we reach the Bus stop late, children may run on seeing us from far.

•When you are walking with small children on road side, hold on their hand. It should not be the other way ie. Don't let the children to hold on your hand.

•While walking with children on road side, keep the children on the outer side of the road. You should be in the inner side.

•Let ‘Road Safety’ be a mandatory topic for School Projects for all classes, every year.

•Road Safety Day / Road Safety Week should be observed in all Schools, every year. Competitions on Road Safety Tips, Slogans, Essays, Paintings etc should be conducted for students of various classes.

•Road Safety Clubs and Forums should be formed in all Schools.

•School Buses should be painted with Bright Yellow color.

•Significant portion of School Uniform should be of bright colors like yellow,red, green, orange etc. White is also ok. Idea is to increase visibility while crossing the road or walking on road side. The bright colors will ensure visibility even under low lighting conditions. If the current school uniform is of dark colors like gray, brown, dark blue etc., School authorities may change the uniform at the next opportunity.

• Avoid driving if you are experiencing excessive sneezing.

•Do not drive after taking sleep inducing tablets like anti-histamines, anti-allergic, anti-depressants etc.

•Buy only bright colored dresses for your children. Sometimes, this may help in averting an accident. Never select black or dark color dresses for your children.

•Small children may sleep while traveling by two wheelers. Hence ensure that they are awake while traveling by two wheelers.

•There are certain types of two wheelers which do not require a valid license for use. This nonsense of the authorities should not be a valid reason to risk  the safety of your children.

•Learn driving from the best reputed diving school in your neighborhood.

•Never bribe to acquire a driving license for you or your children. Do not use shortcut methods to get license.

•Appear for driving test after you are fully convinced and confident.

•Do not park vehicles near curvature.

•Do not attempt to cross the road near curvature.

HAPPY DRIVING, TAKE CARE