The sad accident that happened in the Kondagaon district in Chhattisgarh when five people died and seven others suffered injuries as the SUV that was driven by them hit a parked truck is a darker omen of a bigger issue, that is, the road safety crisis in India. Although it is the loss of life in the spotlight that generates headlines, the problems within the system that leads to these accidents are the ones that should be addressed as soon as possible. The problem of road safety in India is not just an operation issue, but it is a health crisis in the society that still takes thousands of lives annually.
The National Crime Records Bureau indicates that more than 150,000 individuals are killed on Indian roads every year. The deadliest zones have ended up being highways which are usually designed to allow faster transportation, due to the fact that lack of proper infrastructure, careless driving, and enforcement is lax. Most of the roads, particularly the semi-urban and rural roads are poorly illuminated, marked and full of dangers like parked vehicles, potholes and uncontrolled traffic crossing. The recent Kondagaon event highlights a typical danger: parked or stationary vehicles not warned of anybody, giving impromptu impediments to the passing traffic.
Another important issue is driver behaviour. Exhaustion, over-speeding, overloading, and distracted driving is a scourge on the highways in India. Although there are some traffic rules on paper, these are poorly enforced and not regularly. The education and awareness programs have not fared well especially in the rural regions where driving levels usually lack seriousness and adherence to road regulations is very low. This has resulted in a scenario where accidents are not only common, but also near unavoidable because of a combination of careless driving and a road system that is not carefully built.
The other aspect that has not been addressed is the aspect of lack of accountability of car operators and more so the commercial drivers. Heavy vehicles like trucks usually defy the rules of the road including parking without signaling or driving beyond the stipulated time, which further increases the chances of accidents to other road users. These violations are perpetuated with impunity since there are no strict oversight mechanisms in place to counter such violations and this is threatening a lot of lives.
The multi-pronged approach is the way to improve road safety in India. The infrastructure should also be updated and improved street lighting, road markers that are easy to see, safer pedestrian crossings and increased control on roadside parking should be observed. The agencies concerned to enforce the law should be enabled to administer penalties at all times and punish law breakers. The public awareness campaigns should not be just focused on slogans but should translate and result in behaviour change especially among young drivers. Speed sensors, commercial vehicle GPS tracking, and AI-driven surveillance are also technologies that can be used to a considerable extent to avoid accidents.
