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IIT Madras researchers are developing data-driven strategies to enhance road safety in Tamil Nadu. A workshop was organised to help formulate an action plan and policy advisory aimed at reducing road accidents and fatalities in the State, says a press release.
The workshop was organised by the Center of Excellence for Human Factors and Safety Science @ RBG Labs, IIT Madras, in coordination with the National Health Mission. Stakeholders involved in ensuring road safety including the police, health and transport departments, road owning agencies, education and rural development departments, and local self-government participated.
The key outcomes envisaged include long-term policies and strategies for an ‘accident-free Tamil Nadu’; short-term strategies to improve road safety and minimise road accidents during the next three months; and action points and key performance indicators for each of the stakeholder departments.
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Modalities will be worked out for sharing and utilising the data available with stakeholder departments for collective action in ensuring road safety. For example, the grid analysis data available with health departments shall be used for enforcement and awareness creation, among others, the release said.
Venkatesh Balasubramanian, faculty in-charge, Center of Excellence for Human Factors and Safety Science @ RBG Labs, IIT Madras, said, “We have been advocating a data-driven systems approach to road safety through our transportation safety framework to have a holistic improvement.”
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A design thinking approach is needed to solve the problem by not just identifying the issues but also implementing changes that are sustainable under the local conditions, he said.
In 2020, TN achieved the Sustainable Development Goals target of reducing road accident deaths by 50 per cent. However, the fatalities have been steadily increasing in 2021, after the easing of pandemic-induced lockdowns, the release said.