New Delhi: Drivers should be more careful when walking on the side of the road. According to a report, even walking on the side of the road in India is not without danger. According to the report, nearly 99 percent of pedestrians walking along the nation’s roads are at risk of injury. The report presented by technology company Bosch Ltd. during the seventh United Nations Global Road Safety Week held in May 2023 presents a frightening situation for pedestrians. A survey presented by the company titled ‘Indian Pedestrian Behaviour’ has come up with alarming statistics on road-side movement in India. However, the study also calls for measures to improve road safety.
Pedestrians at risk of injury
A survey report presented by Bosch Ltd at the UN’s seventh Global Road Safety Week said that over 29,000 pedestrians died in road accidents in India in 2021, with over 60,000 people injured in traffic accidents. During this period, India had more deaths from road accidents than the whole of Europe and Japan. It also states that in 2021, more than 1,50,000 people will die in road accidents.
Demand to give priority to pedestrians
Drawing attention to pedestrian safety in India, a report by technology company Bosch Ltd urged authorities and policymakers to prioritize pedestrians on roadsides. Also, better infrastructure and an awareness campaign have been called for to protect pedestrians crossing India’s roads. It is also said that it is possible to reduce pedestrian accidents in the country only with collective efforts.
People are more injured on rural roads
Reports say that pedestrians in India often stop in the middle of the road to allow vehicles to pass, which is a major cause of accidents. However, this does not happen in western countries. In Western countries, drivers give priority to pedestrians. In addition, the report also said that people walking on rural roads are injured more than people in the city. These areas have more accidents during the day than at night.
Why do road accidents happen?
About 91 percent of road accidents in India are due to human error, according to an analysis of over 6,300 cases by the Road Accident Sampling System (RASSI). At the same time, infrastructure and other vehicle-related causes account for 63 percent and 44 percent of accidents, respectively. According to a report presented by the World Bank last year, India has the highest number of road accident deaths. India has only 1 percent of the world’s vehicles, but India’s participation in road accidents accounts for 11 percent of the world’s deaths.
One person dies every four minutes
According to a World Bank report, about 4,50,000 road accidents occur in India every year, in which 1,50,000 people die. According to the report, 53 road accidents occur every hour in the country and one person dies every 4 minutes. According to the World Bank report, the cost of road accidents in India is Rs 5.96 lakh crore, which is about 3.14 percent of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product).
Government aims to reduce road accidents
The report says that 76.2 percent of those who die in road accidents in India every year are between the ages of 18 and 45. In such a situation, lack of breadwinner is also becoming the biggest cause of death in road accidents in Indian families. However, the central government is also taking steps to reduce road accidents in the country. Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said in a statement that India has set a target of halving the number of road accident deaths every year by 2024. Earlier, India had signed a target to halve these deaths by 2030 at the Road Safety Conference held in Brazil in 2015. Under this, while tightening traffic rules in the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act, 2019, penalties for violations have also been increased.
How to cross the road
According to IndiaParenting.com, make sure your little one holds your hand or hugs you when you are walking or crossing the road. Always cross the road using zebra crossing lines and always check that the traffic lights allow you to cross the road. If the traffic light is red, it means you should not cross the road. On the other hand, if the traffic light is green, you have to cross the road, whereas if the light is yellow, it means that you are crossing the road by looking at the intersection from which direction? If you follow these rules consistently, your child will see it and follow it when he is home alone. You can also explain to your child what you did and what precautions you took while crossing the road.
Road safety rules for pedestrians
As pedestrians, we play an important role in ensuring road safety. By following these seven important rules, we can protect ourselves and contribute to a safer traffic environment. Let’s take a look at these guidelines for pedestrian safety
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Pedestrians should cross the road only at designated places like level crossings, foot over bridges or zebra crossings.
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Always look both ways to check vehicles before stepping onto the road.
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Avoid crossing roads without pedestrian crossings or from unfamiliar areas.
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Educate children about road safety rules and the importance of pedestrian crossings.
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Do not walk or stand on the street while talking on mobile phones or listening to music from other electronic devices.
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Use caution when approaching intersections and always be alert when turning vehicles.
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Respect and follow any instructions given by traffic police officers or traffic workers posted at the crossing.
4.22 lakh road accidents in India
According to a report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the number of road accidents in India increased from 3,68,828 in 2020 to 4,22,659 in 2021. These traffic accidents include 4,03,116 road accidents, 17,993 railway accidents and 1,550 railway crossing accidents. Tamil Nadu recorded the highest increase in traffic accidents among the states from 2020 to 2021 (from 46,443 to 57,090). It is followed by Madhya Pradesh (43,360 to 49,493), Uttar Pradesh (30,593 to 36,509), Maharashtra (24,908 to 30,086) and Kerala (27,998 to 33,051).
Walking on either side of the road will not cause any harm
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The traffic police gives the following instructions for driving on the road.
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Walk on sidewalks, not streets.
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Cross the road when you see a zebra crossing on red light.
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Where there is no sidewalk, walk facing the moving traffic so you can see which vehicle is approaching you from ahead.
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Walk in the opposite direction on the side of the road to avoid being hit by vehicles. Because vehicles drive on the left side of the road. When you walk in the opposite direction i.e. to the right, you can see the oncoming traffic and you will be able to avoid getting hit. On the other hand, walking on the left side of the sidewalk is more likely to be injured by a vehicle coming from behind.
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Make sure you are visible to drivers whichever way you walk. Visibility is especially important at night.
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Wear light-colored clothing when walking along the road at night.
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Think ahead and plan the safest way to get to school, the market or a friend’s house.
Teach children traffic rules
We tell you that parents’ anxiety increases when children go to school, tuition, visit friends or go to the market. When children go out of the house, it is very important to learn to cross the street safely. It is not necessary to have a good road while walking, but children should know how to cross the road well. They should be aware of which side of the road to walk on while walking. What is the sign that is made on the road to cross the road? What is the red light sign called? So you need to teach your kids how to be safe while walking and how to be a safe passenger when traveling by car or bus? Just instructing children is not enough, because children learn from what they see their parents do. All you have to do is model safe behavior. Let’s find out how to inform children about traffic rules.
