PREVENT ACCIDENT FOUNDATION

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Steps to be taken for bringing downRoad Accidents in India


· Most important method to bring down accidents is strict enforcement of speed limits. 90 % of accidents can be avoided by strict enforcement of speed limits.
· Safety awareness should begin from childhood, as it is difficult to impart awareness to a grown up a human. If safety awareness is imparted at childhood, safety will be a habit.
· Video / Computer Games that simulate Racing should be banned by Government OR discouraged by parents as it will develop racing habit in children.
· All sorts of Motor sports especially racing should be banned in India by government. Telecast of Motor Sports and Racing also should be banned.
· Racing and over speed / highly risky riding, driving by Heroes should not be filmed in cinemas and TV serials. Government should censor such scenes.
· Children below a certain age should not be permitted to do cycling in busy roads / roads where heavy vehicles are plying.
· Refreshment parlors should be made available at (say) every 50 / 100 k.m. on all national highways and truck / heavy vehicle drivers should be forced to refresh by having a face wash or by having a cup of tea / coffee.
· The current practice of keeping the traffic signals in standby mode during nights and on holidays is to be reviewed and discontinued if found prudent.
· Advertisement boards and other items that may obstruct visibility at junctions, curvatures and other parts of the roads should be removed immediately.
· Tamper proof speed controllers should be made mandatory for all heavy vehicles. New heavy vehicles should have built in tamper proof speed controllers.
· Two wheeler manufacturers should be asked to design two wheelers with a designed maximum speed of (say) 50/60 kmph.
· New gadgets are to be developed for collision prevention and should be fitted on all vehicle. DRDO and other research organizations should be asked to develop such gadgets on a war footing. For example, gadgets can be developed to automatically slow down the vehicle, if safe distance commensurate with the speed of the vehicle in front is not maintained.
· Heavy Penalty should be imposed on ALL those who cross speed limits. If this is strictly implemented, nobody will dare to go at high speed.
· Helmet should be made compulsory by law in all states, OR impose a lower speed limit for those who do not use helmet.
· Helmet should be made compulsory for back seat riders also.
· Ensure that all Helmet users are fixing the Chinstrap of Helmet. Otherwise it will not help during an accident.
· Ensure that ONLY good quality Helmets are available in the market.
· A small pool of water or a hanging branch of tree on roadsides can cause accident, as such obstructions will make the pedestrians / drivers to take sudden LATERAL movement and result in accidents. Hence any obstruction on road sides which can cause a LATERAL movement should be completely rectified timely.
· Strict enforcement of existing traffic rules.
· Existing speed limits should be brought down further.
· Heavy penalty for those who cause accidents.
· Diving tests for issue of Driving license is to be made more stringent and foolproof.
· Raising of lower age limit for two wheeler and Heavy Vehicle license to 21.
· Law should be modified such that the person who made the accident has to bear (say) 0 to 10 % of the insurance claims, depending on severity of negligence. Also the compensations should be made very huge, making accidents unaffordable so that everyone will be very vigilant.
· All those who do not maintain the safe distance for the speed should be punished.
· Ensure that the money recovered as Road Tax is fully utilised for the construction /maintenance of roads.
· Time Punching of Private buses (practiced in some states) should be discontinued as it is forcing the drivers to go at high speed, after traffic blocks.
· TV and other media should be effectively used for Public safety awareness.
· Scientific analysis of major accidents / accident prone areas.
· Restriction of speed at accident prone areas.
· Enactment of stringent traffic rules.
· Immediate suspension of license of those who are involved the accidents, at least until they prove that they are not guilty.
· Cancellation of license of those who make serious accidents.
· Proper maintenance of roads. Permanent contracts / arrangements should be in place for maintaining all roads in good condition 24 hours a day, 365 days an year. If a gutter is repaired in time it can save a life !!!
· Strict enforcement of health of vehicles.
· Periodic eye testing of old aged driving license holders.
· Immediate cancellation of license of drunkard drivers / riders.
· Setting up of Judicial Commissions to monitor steps taken to control road accidents.
· Straightening / Widening of roads, Implementation of one way traffic and construction of medians.
· Footpaths and medians should be made mandatory for important roads.
· Zebra crossings should be provided for pedestrians for safe road crossings at appropriate places.
· Signals for road crossings at important busy places where a large number of people have to cross the road everyday.
· Proper marking of roads and signals.
· Humps should be provided at all important places, accident prone areas.
· Construction, size and shape of the Humps be scientific. All the Contractors of the Public Works / Other departments should be provided with the details of scientific Hump construction.
· Humps should be clearly marked, to avoid accidents. Methods of permanent nature should be followed in Hump marking. For example white marble pieces / white color / fluorescent pigment can be included in the mixture ( if scientifically OK).
· Provision of small pilot humps few meters before humps can also be considered to ensure that humps are not left unnoticed.
· Elimination of obstructions on road sides, caused by unauthorised construction / road side sales.
· Increasing visibility near curvatures. Sometimes even cutting of grass to increase visibility can help save many lives.
· Periodic review of accident statistics to understand the effect of actions taken. Corrective steps should be taken based on these reviews.