Traffic
deaths are now the leading global cause of deaths for children and young adults
between 5 and 29 years old as per the recently released WHO Global Status
Report on Road Safety 2018. People living in low-income countries have a risk
that is three times higher than those in high-income countries. The rates are
highest in Africa (26.6 per 100 000 population) and lowest in Europe (9.3
per 100 000 population). And, over twice as many patients die before they
reach a hospital in low-income countries than in high-income countries.
Although, low-income countries account for only 1% of the
world’s motor vehicle accidents, 13% of deaths due to road traffic accident
occur in those countries. The lowest rates of road traffic deaths are in the
Americas and Europe, with 15.6 and 9.3 deaths per 100,000 people, respectively.
The highest death rates are in Africa and Southeast Asia: 26.6 and 20.7 deaths
per 100,000, respectively.
More than half of all road traffic deaths are among
vulnerable road users: pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. Globally, 29%
of deaths are car occupants, 28% are those using motorized two- and
three-wheelers, 26% are pedestrians and cyclists and the remaining 17% are
unidentified road users.
The United Nations has prioritized eight vehicle safety
standards for implementation, which include frontal and side impact protection,
electronic stability control, pedestrian front protection, advance braking.
But, not all standards are implemented.
Five behavioral risk factors are speeding, drunken
driving, not using motorcycle helmets, not using seat belts and not using child
restraints. Head-on crashes, for example, occur on undivided roads while the
lack of a footpath or a safe crossing presents a major risk for death and
injury to pedestrians.
Speedbreakers are constructed in
accident-prone areas as “safeguards”. But, in what can be called a paradox,
they are also the cause of 30 crashes daily, killing at least nine people a day
as per Road Transport ministry data (TOI).
The Indian Road Congress has laid down norms for
speedbreakers and the required road markings. Speed breakers should be painted
with alternate black and white stripes for visual warning besides suitable
advance warning signs located 40 m in advance of the speed breaker.
One case titled as "Guru Hanuman Society
versus Govt of NCT of Delhi & others” bearing WPC No 104/2015 is pending
adjudication before the Hon'ble High Court of Delhi, in which vide order
dated 25.05.2016 the Hon'ble Court has passed some directions/guidelines wrt
the speed beakers in Delhi. The Hon'ble Court has directed all the concerned
authorities to follow the prescribed norms/rules and directions of the Court
wrt building and maintenance of speed beakers.
Driving with high beam is another major cause of
road accidents. High beams are to be used only in multiple laned
highways where there is no chance of a motorist blinding driver travelling in
the opposite direction. They are not meant for use inside the cities.
As stated in Rule 112(4)(a) of Delhi Motor Vehicles Act “the
driver of a motor vehicle shall at all times, when the lights of the vehicle
are in use, so manipulate them that danger or undue convenience is not caused
to any person by dazzle”.
On 26th September, 2018, Heart Care Foundation of India
(HCFI) had filed a Right to Information application to Ministry of Road
Transport and Highways thereby asking following questions:
- Is
there any law relating to “high beam lights in vehicles” in India?
- Can a
vehicle drive on high beam in colonies / cities in India?
- If the
answer to query no. 2 is “no”, then what is the punishment for a vehicle
which is driving on high beam?
- What
actions / rules Government of India has made for stopping vehicles from
driving on high beams in colonies?
- How
many accidents are taking place because of use of high beam by vehicles in
colonies / cities in India?
Vide reply dated 11.10.2018, the Transport Research Wing
of Ministry of Road Transport & Highways had stated that: “Regarding query
no. 1-4 of the application: TRW does not collect / compile information
regarding high beam lights in vehicles and accidents because of use of high
beam lights in vehicles in India. Thus, the information sought by you is not
available in TRW”.
This is indeed disturbing.
Recognizing the urgent need of enactment of stricter laws
with respect to the use of high beam lights in vehicles, HCFI has filed a
representation before the Hon'ble Prime Minister and Minister of Transport
thereby requesting them to enact stringent laws on use of high beam lights in
vehicles in cities, colonies, towns, etc. and the offenders should be punished
for violating the same, awareness should be created among the public at large about
the cons of using high beam lights in vehicles in inside the city.
Dr KK Aggarwal
Padma
Shri Awardee
President Elect Confederation of Medical Associations in Asia and
Oceania (CMAAO)
Group
Editor-in-Chief IJCP Publications
President
Heart Care Foundation of India
Immediate Past National President IMA
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