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Citing the majority of automobile manufacturers in India are already exporting cars with six airbags, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on 14 September said that there is a need to adopt similar safety norms for cars in the country. He even stressed that Indian automobile makers should also think about safety of people using small economy cars.
Gadkari, while addressing the annual session of Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), pointed out that every year, some 5 lakh road accidents kill 1.5 lakh people and injure over 3 lakh.
"Majority of automobile manufacturers in India are exporting cars with 6 airbags. But in India, because of the economic model and cost, they are hesitating," he said.
He wondered why automobile manufacturers are not thinking about the lives of people using economy cars in India as lower middle-class people buy small economy cars.
Gadkari said the need of the hour is to reduce accidents in the country.
"We need cooperation of the automobile industry in reducing accidents. There should be healthy competition among manufacturers to produce safer cars," Gadkari said.
From October, the government is trying to make it mandatory for carmakers to provide at least six airbags in eight-seater vehicles for enhanced safety of occupants.
The Union Minister's remarks arrived days after the Cyrus Mistry's accident, where lack of rear front airbag and Mistry not wearing seat belt led to his death during an accident.
Also, his remarks assume significance as it comes against the backdrop of the automobile industry raising concerns that high taxation and stricter safety and emission norms for vehicles have made their products expensive.
Earlier this year, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) in a statement said that in order to enhance the safety of occupants of the motor vehicle against lateral impact, it has been decided to enhance safety features by amending the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), 1989.
"A draft notification has been issued on January 14, 2022, which mandates that vehicles of category M1, manufactured after October 1, 2022, shall be fitted with two side/side torso air bags, one each for the persons occupying front row outboard seating positions, and two side curtain/tube air bags, one each for the persons occupying outboard seating positions," it had said.
According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, over 1.55 lakh lives were lost in road crashes across India in 2021 -- an average of 426 daily or 18 every single hour -- which is the highest death figures recorded in any calendar year so far.
According to the report titled 'Road accidents in India -- 2020', more than 11 per cent of deaths and injuries were caused due to non-usage of seat belts.
With PTI inputs.