The Road Safety Crisis

“India is no. 1 in road crash deaths and injuries in the world.”

Global Status Report on Road Safety, 2015

World Health Organization

What is the road safety crisis?

VIEW ALL STATISTICS

Key factors responsible for road crrashes

Road safety requires a multi-pronged approach.

Our strategies are focused on addressing four key challenges.

Bad road-user behavior

Fractured licensing system

Driver training not mandatory

Negligible management of fatigue

Flawed road design and engineering

Road user conflict

Poor road design with disregard to Safe System Approach

Poor road engineering and maintenance

No safety standards for vehicles

Weak enforcement of traffic law

Weak Penalty system

Human dependent enforcement ; Minimal use of technology

Limited risk factors addressed in law

Lack of rapid trauma care

Lack of Bystander care

No standard protocols for care

No universal access number

National ambulance code yet to be issued

Road traffic in India currently operates within the legal framework established in the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. While the Act was enacted at a time when the growth in India’s road transport sector could not have been envisaged, it has only been moderately amended in the last 28 years with complete disregard to road safety and rationalisation of penalties. A number of key contributing factors to road crashes have not been addressed as the purview of the act is limited to “motor vehicles” instead of road users in general. Over 50 percent of road users, including vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists, are not protected under the ambit of the Act. This has led to a negligible framework for road safety in India with powers divided between States and the Centre.

How are we solving it?

POLICY ADVOCACY

We focus on compiling and generating authentic, verifiable data and information on Road Safety and Emergency Care in India and across the world. Based on original, expert reviewed research and data, we propose policy changes in two broad areas: Crash Prevention and Post-Crash Response.

LEGAL

We have identified certain gaps in the existing legal framework around Road Safety and Emergency Care in India. Based on detailed study of these gaps and after gathering authentic, original, verifiable data, we seek judicial intervention in order to provide interim relief until such time that the lacunae are addressed legislatively.

ON GROUND INTERVENTION

We provide model on-ground training programs and pilot projects across different parts of the country to be replicated by government organizations.