Road safety - a shared responsibility
- Part 2 -

Dr Rangitabali Waikhom *

Students participating in Walkathon in Imphal for National Road Safety Week on January 17 2015 :: Pix - Shankar Khangembam

The Road Transport and Safety Bill 2015, which is likely to be passed in the coming Budget session, seek to address issues around transport, motor vehicles and road safety. The proposed Bill aims to improve the quality of vehicles on the roads, especially with regard to safety and emissions. It also seeks to usher in a regime of computerised, corruption free and transparent transport authorities, to remove obstacles and inconvenience from the path of road users, in obtaining driving license, registration, payment of taxes, permits, etc, and to promote good driving skills.

If the bill is passed by Parliament, it would replace the existing Motor Vehicle Act of 1988. In its current form, the Bill includes ambitious and farreaching changes to governance, public transport systems, and regulations. The Bill assumes significance in the changes it plans to introduce in terms of stricter and heavier penalties for violation of traffic norms and road safety rules. Besides, the bill has also made a provision for recall of vehicles, compulsory road worthiness tests for all cars and two - wheelers.

The approach of the Government of India to improve road safety is through the 4 E's - Education, Enforcement, Engineering (roads as well as vehicles) and Environment & Emergency care of road accident victims. Education and awareness is one of the foremost approaches to prevent/reduce road accidents. We are well aware of the 'Ten Golden Rules' for road safety but we may ask ourselves - do we actually follow the ten golden rules?

We list below the 'Ten Golden Rules' STOP OR SLOW DOWN - Allowing pedestrians to cross first at uncontrolled zebra crossings BUCKLE UP - So that you and your family are safe in the car

OBEY TRAFFIC RULES AND SIGNS - So that road accidents are prevented
OBEY SPEED LIMITS - So that you and others are safe
KEEP VEHICLE FIT - To prevent breakdown and accidents on road
NEVER USE MOBILE WHILE DRIVING - To avoid distractions that lead to accidents
WEAR HELMET - To protect from severe head injury
NEVER DRIVE DANGEROUSLY - For your own and others safety
BE COURTEOUS - Share the road with all and considerate
NEVER MIX DRINKING AND DRIVING - For your own and others safety

It is important that road users behave like responsible citizens and have respect for their fellow road users. It may be necessary to educate people about such 'Golden Rules'. Thus, it is necessary to develop and organize road safety publicity campaigns by using the resources of both the Government and other agencies for various target groups as per their respective requirements.

The Govt. of India has strongly recommended inclusion of a chapter on road safety in the curriculum of the State Education Board/Council. Simple messages or lectures are not effective enough. They have to be aware of such 'Golden rules' and learn to respect them. Hence, a structured program as part of school curriculum on the subject is required to be framed and introduced in the schools so that when these children grow to become teenagers and then adults, road safety measures become a part of their growing up stage.

Enforcement is a crucial element of the strategy for road safety. Enforcement strategies are based on targeting risk, visible deterrence and covert enforcement. Enforcement measures comprising check on drivers & vehicles with regard to drunken driving, over - speeding , over - loading, rash and negligent driving, red light jumping, non wearing of helmets & seat belts, use of mobile phones while driving etc. play an important role in preventing accidents.

Serious enforcement requires adequate manpower and modern equipments, such as, interceptors, speed cameras, breath analyzers etc. Road engineering aspects of safety are road geometry design (curves, elevation etc), road signs, markings and delineation, road junctions - layout, geometry, capacity, access control, setting up of safety barriers - embankments, medians and visibility.

"Black Spots" should also be identified and a concrete action plan on road engineering should be undertaken. The basic strategy towards emergency care is to improve communication system available with police and other emergency services and reduce response time in emergency care; to train police, police and other emergency services in basic first aid and emergency care; to develop local and regional trauma plans for road traffic accident casualties.

There is active consideration to formulate a national Accident Relief Policy and a National Trauma system plan. Observing road safety week is a welcome step to bring awareness about road safety to all the relevant stakeholders. However, road safety responsibilities are spread over different levels of Government - Transport, Health, Public Works, Police, Education, Finance etc.

They are required to work closely with each other and have a shared understanding about their strengths, weaknesses and responsibilities. In addition, there should be a well chalked out road safety campaign strategy which is sustainable and effective. The public should be given adequate information and encourage compliance. The reality of enforcement adds motivation to change driving habits.

Needless to say, positive attitudes and responsible behaviour of all the road users are the ultimate key to safer roads and reducing road accidents.

Concluded....

(The views expressed in this article are solely of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government)