TENETS OF ROAD SAFETY

ALL OF US NEED TO MAKE AN HONEST ATTEMPT TO BE THE BETTER GUY AND WORK TOWARDS IMPROVING ROAD SAFETY

According to the Road Accidents in India 2021 survey by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), there was a 21 per cent rise in total number of accidents as compared to 2020. Of course, the part of the rise can be chalked up to the higher number of cumulative kilometres clocked in 2021 versus 2020, a year that was witness to empty roads for extended durations thanks to lockdowns triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic. Ignore 2020, and there is a silver lining in the form of steady reduction in total number of accidents since 2016. Still, at over 4 lakh the number is quite high and that coupled with a lack of a significant reduction in road fatalities over the same period means the need to make our roads safer cannot be overstated. There were a total of 4,12,432 accidents recorded in India, with 1,53, 972 fatalities and 3,84,448 injuries. Worrying numbers, those. Let’s put all the stats pertaining to road accidents in India from MoRTH aside for a second and ask ourselves – how safe do we feel driving on our roads? The answer is unlikely to be an encouraging one. If you’ve ever been on our roads, in a vehicle or on the sidewalk, you’d be very well aware of the general callousness towards traffic rules. You could be someone who is more disciplined on the road than most or someone who doesn’t care much for rules, there’s always scope for improvement. Maybe you’re among the more responsible ones who follow the rules, or maybe you’re among those who treat them with reckless nonchalance, either way, all of us collectively need to make an honest attempt to #BeTheBetterGuy and work towards improving road safety in India.

#LaneDrivingIsSaneDriving