Killer Roads and National Apathy:
Time to Educate People
Major General Mrinal Suman
Nitin Gadkari, the Minister of Road Transport & Highways, released the report ‘Road Accidents in India 2015’ on 09 June 2016. It revealed that, on an average, 1,374 accidents and 400 deaths took place every day on Indian roads. In other words, there were 57 accidents and 17 fatalities every hour. Most alarmingly, the situation appears to be worsening:-
· The total number of road accidents in
2015 was 501,423 – an increase of 2.5 per cent over 489,400 in 2014.
·
Number of persons killed in road
accidents in 2015 was 146,133 – an increase
of 4.6 per cent over 139,671 in 2014.
· Road accident injuries also increased
by 1.4 per cent from 493,474 in 2014 to 500,279 in 2015. Worse, the severity of
road accidents, measured in terms of number of persons killed per 100 accidents
also increased from 28.5 in 2014 to 29.1 in 2015.
· Most tragically, about 54.1 per cent
of all persons killed in road accidents were in the 15 -34 years age group.
The above report identifies drivers’ fault to be responsible
for a whopping 77.1 per cent of the road accidents. Therefore, drivers’ conduct
deserves maximum attention. It is estimated that close to 35 percent accidents
occur due to the drivers’ misdemeanour – deliberate disregard for the traffic
norms/rules (over-speeding, drunken driving, jumping red-lights etc). However,
majority of accidents (close to 65 percent) take place due to drivers’ ignorance
of the traffic rules.
Intentional flouting of traffic laws can be curbed
only through punitive measures. For that, it is essential that no transgression
goes undetected. Errant drivers must fear discovery of their offence. Increased
monitoring through TV cameras and physical policing are essential. Punishment
for proven traffic violation should be severe enough to act as a deterrent.
Opposition to helmets and seat beats defies logic.
Lack of concern for personal safety is, perhaps, the most startling aspect of
peoples’ psyche. They appear to be getting a kick in flouting even those rules
that are meant to save their lives. Using mobiles while driving two wheelers
gives the riders a sense of misplaced bravado: they are ready to risk their
lives for small thrills. Their disobedience of laws amounts to shooting in
their own foot. Such delinquents must be dealt with strictly.
It is a well known fact that most driving licenses
are issued through touts and no tests are held to gauge an applicant’s
knowledge of traffic rules and regulations. Therefore, it is the prevailing ignorance that poses
the biggest challenge.
Ignorance is the Root Cause
Overtaking from the left is endemic. Worse, horns
are blown to ask the leading vehicle to move to the right to make way. When
queried for overtaking from the left on a sharp left turn, a young IT professional
looked surprised. His reply was more worrisome, “What wrong have I done? Don’t
we elbow our way through a crowded street?” According to him, driving a vehicle
on a crowded road was no different than walking in a busy street.
On multi-lane roads, most drivers merrily
criss-cross lanes to forge ahead. At red lights, they form additional lines to
overtake those waiting for their turn. Resultantly, traffic gets choked and it
becomes free for all. Driving in the wrong direction on a one-way street (with
lights on to caution others) is a common sight.
An informal survey threw up startling revelations –
the extent of ignorance was appalling. Most taxi-drivers and two-wheeler riders
did not know even the basics, like the significance of zebra crossings. Many thought
it to be a part of road decoration.
Not one, yes not one, driver (including owners of
expensive vehicles) knew the import of dividing lines (broken, single
continuous and parallel) and lane lines.
Most did not know the connotation of mandatory
signs (in red circles), cautionary signs (in red triangles) and informatory
signs (in black rectangles).
Quite expectedly, pedestrians were equally ignorant
and thought that road rules apply only to the vehicular traffic and not to them.
They believed that they were free to cross roads anytime and anywhere (including
busy crossings). Most pedestrians felt that it was the responsibility of the drivers
not to hit them. Hence, it is not uncommon to see pedestrians crossing busy
roads while engrossed in animated mobile chats, totally oblivious to the
speeding traffic; thereby transferring the onus of their safety to the
drivers.
Surprisingly, even the basic precautions are routinely
ignored. While escorting toddlers or old/infirm persons on the road, many
people were seen keeping them on the outer side (exposed to traffic). When advised
to keep them tucked inside (away from the roadside), they appreciated guidance.
They were unaware of such a small but significant safety measure.
The Way Forward
Above observations are not exhaustive. They are indicative
of the level of prevailing ignorance, both amongst the drivers and the public
at large. And, ignorance can only be eradicated by awareness, and the government
has to undertake that responsibility.
The government has been successfully running some media
campaigns with telling effect. Visuals of mouth cancer due to tobacco chewing are
highly dissuasive. Current anti-smoking campaign, wherein a daughter is shown
looking pleadingly at her cigarette smoking father, has a telling effect. Similarly,
necessity for latrines in houses is being well highlighted through short TV
clips.
Recently, a video clip was in circulation on the
social media that showed fatal consequences of momentary diversion of attention
while driving, both due to mobiles and other distractions. It is an excellent
production and conveys the warning compellingly.
It is strongly recommended that the government
undertakes a concerted campaign to educate the people about rules of the road.
For that, TV is the ideal medium. The campaign should focus both on apprising
people of traffic rules/norms and highlighting the risks of disregarding safety
precautions.
A number of short TV clips should be produced by
the government covering various aspects of traffic rules and regulations. Each
clip should cover a specific rule/norm and be of maximum 30 seconds duration.
Help of private ad agencies should be taken for their production.
A clip from the movie ‘Traffic’ will force people
to appreciate the need for helmets. The scene shows two persons riding a motor
cycle, one wearing helmet and the other bare-headed. The motorcycle meets with
an accident. Both fall on their heads but only the one wearing helmet survives.
Parents lament that their failure to insist on helmet had cost them their son.
Nothing can drive home the point better. Similarly, a short clip showing a wife
(with two small children) pleading with her husband to wear helmet for the sake
of the family will certainly have the necessary impact.
A bank of such short educative clips should be made
available to all TV channels. They should be asked to devote one minute per
hour of their telecast time to telecast two clips of 30 seconds each. They can
choose any clips from the bank available with them. It should be part of their social
corporate responsibility. One is sure that most channels would willingly
comply. Should there be any dissenters; the government can mandate it as well.
Indian traffic scene is chaotic. It is a nightmare
to drive or walk on Indian roads. It is free for all. As stated earlier, many
violations of traffic rules are deliberate by delinquent drivers but most are
due to sheer ignorance. Reduction in road fatalities can be achieved only by
educating the people and the visual media with its country-wide reach is the
best medium for the purpose.
Despite Nitin Gadkari’s repeated reiteration of
government’s resolve to reduce road accidents, very little discernible action
has been taken so far. It is high time that he walks the talk.*****
