THERE IS UTMOST NEED FOR ROAD SAFETY RULES COMPLIANCE AND PATIENCE WHILE DRIVING

 

People living in Delhi NCR use lakhs of cars, public vehicles, and two-wheelers for commuting to their destinations for hours every day. It is a part of their life. It is necessary evil. The number of people moving by car in Delhi is the highest in the whole country. About 13 percent of the people in Delhi and NCR use a vehicle to go to their workplace. Among those traveling by car, Bangalore, and Jaipur come next. The number of cars in Delhi and NCR is increasing day by day and now it has crossed the one crore mark. The number of two-wheelers has also increased tremendously. Two-wheelers were only 8.8 percent in 1951. Now their number has increased to 73.5.

Just like in life, we have to bear the consequences of hasty decisions, the same goes for the hurried actions on the road. A little mistake can cause big damage. Being disciplined, patient and tolerant are the key factors of being a good driver. You have to understand that life is invaluable. Before driving a vehicle, it is very important to be cautious and follow the rules for road safety issues. A comprehensive set of road safety laws are in effect in every state of our country, which include a lot of instructions. These laws are compulsorily imposed and implemented and must be followed to ensure road safety. However, the behavior of compliance is only expected in the presence of the traffic police as motorists and drivers often fail to imbibe the traffic rules and never try to change their attitudes.

There are about five lakh road accidents in India every year and the number of people who lose their lives in accidents is about one and a half lakh. India ranks first in the world in terms of death due to road accidents, while America is first, Japan second, and India third in terms of accidents. In 2022, there were 1, 55,622 deaths due to road accidents registered in India and 59.7 percent of fatalities occurred due to over-speeding.

CAUSES OF ROAD ACCIDENTS

The real problem behind road accidents in India is the attitude of the people. It is mainly attributed to human error. The discipline that is needed while driving, is not followed by most of the people. Do you know that around 58,000 road accidents were recorded in Delhi NCR (National Capital Region) in 2022 alone? In June 2022, the Delhi police shared statistics that pointed out that the capital witnessed 2,300 road accidents in the first five months. About 500 people lost their lives and 495 were in fatal accidents.

There can be many reasons for this, but in my opinion, the following reasons are some of the main ones:

• Despite knowing, drivers are not honest and responsible towards road signs and precautions. 
• Most of the drivers on the road have not the slightest idea what 'right of way' really means. 
• Driving schools don't even discuss basic road rules. Most drivers think they own the road.
• While driving on Indian roads, drivers are always in such a hurry that they make mistakes but they do not realize it.
• Many accidents happen even during overtaking. Even expert drivers are seen adopting the wrong method while doing this. 
• Road hypnosis is also a reason because of why direct collision accidents occur. In this hypnosis situation, the driver does not realize the front vehicles or his speed until 15 minutes after the accident
• Even two-wheelers are too careless about their safety.
• Most of the drivers do not use helmets. According to traffic police officials, the biggest reason for serious road accidents is riding two-wheelers without helmets. India scores a 4 in helmet law enforcement while France scores 98% and Brazil 81%.
• Being fearless, the drivers keep coming and going from all four directions without waiting. 

 

• Motorists are also prone to the use of cell phones and gadgets while driving which causes accidents. 
• Cyclists should not use a phone on the road as it can be distracting and potentially increase the risk of an accident. Phone use while driving any kind of vehicle is dangerous.
• Pedestrians walk fearlessly on the roads and cross the road. While they do not know about road sense and traffic signs. 
• Low self-control or and over confidence are two significant reasons for mishaps on the road. 
• Speeding has always been one of the main culprits for road traffic accidents.
• Drunk drivers continue to cause crashes every day. This is EXTREMELY dangerous when operating a vehicle.
• Weather conditions can play a major factor in car accidents. Rain is one of the most common causes and it creates slick and dangerous surfaces for cars, trucks, and motorcycles.
• Driving without caution during the day can be dangerous, but driving at night can double your chances of an accident.
• Many fatal car accidents have occurred when a driver dangerously tailgates another driver at high speeds and is unable to stop in time when the rear lights come on.
• Potholes can be very dangerous and if you are not paying attention to the road they can cause significant damage.
• "Irresponsible and negligent parking" of the bus in the middle of the road is also a serious reason for the accident. Haphazard parking should be checked regularly and at the same time, encroachment should be checked by civic authorities. 
• The traffic police need to deal very strictly with these careless citizens who indulge in such dangerous driving.

 

 

 

YOUTH CAN PLAY A BIG ROLE

Accidents are unfortunate and frequently occur on the road and cause death, damage to infrastructure, and health injuries. Human behavior is to be blamed for such incidents. Thus, a big change can come if the youth of the new generation follow the traffic rules and take precautions. 

Youths have become the biggest victims of road accidents in India as young adults between the age group of 18-45 years accounted for nearly 69.3% of the road accident victims in the last year. These road traffic accidents not only cause an increased death toll or injury but also result in financial damage to the state. Sudden death in a road accident is a sad coincidence. So many families get ruined by this. According to the Road Accident Report for 2014, the Road Transport and Highways Ministry of India, India experiences 17 deaths each hour, adding up to 140,000 deaths yearly, and includes 75,000 youths between ages 15-34.

If you are 15 to 18 years old, you need to know that car crashes are a leading cause of death for people. Teen drivers have a higher rate of fatal crashes, mainly because of their immaturity, lack of skills, and lack of experience. They speed, they make mistakes, and they get distracted easily – especially if their friends are in the car. They don’t always know what to do and that lack of experience can end up causing road accidents. Many teen drivers are also seen driving in the spirit of competition. This threatens their safety. Overall, self restraint can go a long way in averting these accidents.

Road safety rules teach that it is not only necessary to have an understanding of driving on the roads, but it is also necessary to keep all kinds of safety in mind while driving. Drivers should drive on the road keeping pedestrians in mind. We have to keep in mind that most of the people who see crossing the road have no road sense at all. Failure to exercise due care while driving, and especially overtaking, is also a form of negligence. The motorist also needs to be given attention to cultivating a deeper sense of commitment.

 

                                                          What is the rush?

MIZORAM: A ROLE MODEL

Many policies and plans were made and implemented, but the problem persists. The Road Safety Bill 2014 which proposes hefty fines of up to Rs. 3 lakh and jail for 7 years for causing death in road accidents continues to gather dust. This is our problem. Therefore, we must address it with our participation, coordination, and commitment. It also comes under the purview of local government. It can be solved if we cooperate with local bodies and traffic police.

The whole country should learn from Mizoram how people in a state are following traffic rules themselves without any traffic signal. The people of Mizoram have become symbols of patience and discipline. The people here do not overtake on the road. There is no traffic block and no divider. Everyone here follows the traffic rules. The Mizos consider it a matter of pride.

SOME PRECAUTIONS THAT WE MUST TAKE   

• To prevent an accident use left and right turn signals and always check your blind spots before proceeding to the left lane or right lane. 
• Always look for signals and adhere to traffic rules.
• When you approach signs signaling sharp turns and to reduce speed, do as they say and drive cautiously to avoid a car accident. 
• Don't drink. Don't use drugs. Don't listen to fast or loud music. 
• Keep your car’s lights on when driving at dusk and dawn and during rainy seasons. 
• Animals do not know the rules of the road and will cross as they see fit. Take caution when you see an animal crossing sign and use your high beams when traveling in rural, woody areas. 
• Check your car at regular intervals. Constantly monitor its tires, brakes, lights, and mirrors. 
• Have a clear idea regarding the limitations of your car. Keep your vehicle in good working condition. 
• Those who violate the rules should be taught a lesson. It is important to have strict laws.
• If we want to put a curb on road accidents, we have to strictly follow the rules no matter what.
• The meaning of 'right of way' should be explained to every motorist so that they are aware that it is an actual law.

 

Road safety concerns everyone across the country. If you are on the road in any capacity, you have a responsibility. It is high time that Indians learn to give great importance to it and enhance the role of science and technology in road safety. Traffic police should deal with strictly managing dangerous driving behaviors. Besides, traffic police need to establish a road safety announcement system. Presently, road traffic emergency and rescue in India is relatively poor. Road transport infrastructure construction cannot meet the needs of road safety and it needs to be improved. It has been noticed that urban road safety management in India needs to be strengthened further. Keeping in mind road accidents are a major public safety and health problem, India urgently needs to develop a good road safety culture to find better strategies to improve their road safety. In the USA, for several kilometers, no traffic cops are found but the traffic still moves without any interruption. It can help here too, if the department concerned coordinates efforts and people are willing to cooperate.

 

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