Road accident is most unwanted thing to happen to a road user, though they happen quite often. Most of the road users are quite well aware of the general rules and safety measures while using roads but it is only the laxity on part of road users, which cause accidents.
Main causes for accidents are over speeding, drunken driving, distractions (drivers indulge in multitasking while driving: talking on the phone, sending texts, eating food, etc.), red light jumping, avoiding safety gears like seat belts and helmets, and jumping lanes and overtaking in a wrong manner.
India’s road crash severity (deaths per 100 crashes) has touched 38.6 in 2021 from 37.5 in 2020, according to data by SaveLife Foundation. India ranked first among the top 20 countries for road crashes since 2016, followed by China. The deaths have increased by 16.8% from 1,33,201 in 2020 to 1,55,622 in 2021.
Fatal accidents are related to lack of warnings/proper signages, poor lighting and bad weather. Dangerous/careless or overtaking caused 27.5%, speeding were responsible for 55.9%, and driving under influence of drug/alcohol accounted for 1.9% accidents. Poor weather conditions and mechanical failure accounted for 3.5% and 1.3%, respectively. Most of the accidents (20.2%) have been reported between 6pm and 9pm. Education and awareness about road safety should be compulsory at the time of issuance/renewing of driving licenses. Strict enforcement of speed limit through cameras and speed monitoring radar device on highways is the need of the hour. In some cases, road design and geometry need to be modified.
