Several key issues need attention for safety on Indian highways:
Roads
1. Road Infrastructure: Many highways in India need to be better maintained and have adequate infrastructure. This includes poor road conditions, lack of proper signage, and inadequate lighting, which can lead to accidents, especially at night.
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2. Overloading and Overspeeding: Overloading of vehicles is a common practice in India, which can result in tire bursts, brake failures, and loss of control over the vehicle. Overspeeding is another major cause of accidents, often due to a lack of enforcement of speed limits.
3. Poor Driver Training and Behavior: Many drivers in India need more proper training and licensing, leading to reckless driving and a lack of knowledge about traffic rules and regulations. In addition, drivers often ignore traffic signals and signs, drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and engage in distracted driving.
Safety
4. Pedestrian Safety: Pedestrian safety is also a significant concern in India, as pedestrians often share the road with vehicles, and there is a lack of proper pedestrian infrastructure such as sidewalks, crosswalks, and foot over-bridges.
5. Roadside Safety: India has a high incidence of accidents involving vehicles colliding with stationary objects such as trees, electric poles, and median barriers. These accidents can be prevented through proper roadside safety measures such as crash barriers, reflective road studs, and warning signs.
Overloading
6. Overloading of vehicles: Overloading vehicles is a common sight on Indian highways, which can lead to accidents. Overloading can cause vehicles to become unstable and difficult to control and can also lead to tire blowouts.
7. Distracted driving: Distracted driving is a significant problem on Indian highways. Many drivers use their phones while driving, taking their attention away from the road. This can lead to accidents, especially on busy highways.
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Services
8. Lack of emergency services: In the event of an accident, emergency services are often not readily available on Indian highways. There needs to be better infrastructure in place to provide emergency services to accident victims.
To address these issues, there needs to be a concerted effort from the government, law enforcement agencies, and road users to improve road infrastructure, enforce traffic rules and regulations, and promote safe driving practices.
This could include initiatives such as road safety campaigns, driver training programs, and pedestrian and roadside safety infrastructure development.
Source: ET Auto
