Road safety policy fails to reduce number of accidents

NEW DELHI:  Despite the transport ministry rolling out a road safety policy, the number of accidents on national highways has gone up by around 7,900.While the number of accidents in 2016 was 140,785, the fugure rose to 147,913 in 2017, with the maximum increase seen in Maharashtra. The number of accidents in Maharashtra shot up by a whopping 317 per cent. The number of accidents grew from 2,935 in 2016 to 12,264 in 2017.

The number of accidents on national highways registered in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu was 20,124 and 16,157, respectively, in 2017. Officials say that the two states being industrial and freight hubs, see more transport movement than other states and hence the numbers are high there.

Ministry officials say that drivers on national highways do not adhere to rules. “We have done our best in formulating and educating people. If they do not want to adhere to the rules for their own safety, the results are going to be disastrous. Apart from guidelines, it is important that the mindset of a driver changes,” a ministry official said.“The rise in number of accidents shows that the policy is not being enforced properly. The threshold of four-lane highways has been reduced from 15,000 passengers units to 10,000 units, but the number is way above 10,000,” said Dr PK Sarkar, director of Asian Institute of Transport Development.