New Delhi: The Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE) blamed road engineering and the environment for the violation of traffic rules in Delhi, the capital of India. An IRTE study states that 25 percent of traffic violations by motorists in Delhi are due to faulty road engineering and environment. Presenting ‘Traffic Management and Presenting Case Study of NCT Delhi’ conducted by International Road Federation (IRF), IRTE President Rohit Baluja said that in many parts of the country, including Delhi-NCR, traffic police issue driving licences, pollution control certificates. And what is the challan based on the absence of other related documents and equipment, but the focus should be on what the traffic police are doing today to control and violate traffic rules, right? Isn’t it the easy way out?
Road accidents are not reducing even with collection and collection of fines
IRTE chairman Rohit Baluja also added that in 2017 a Supreme Court-constituted committee on road safety had issued directives to police officers across India to stop speeding, jumping red lights, talking on mobile phones while driving. Driving in the wrong direction has been ordered to increase the penalty as dangerous. Following the directions of the Supreme Court Committee, Delhi Police got involved in fine collection and in 2017, it collected around Rs 64.8 crore from fines. But, the number of deaths due to road accidents increased to 1584 during the same period. He did not pay attention to this. He said that in 2021, the Delhi Traffic Police recovered around Rs 493 crore from fines. However, this year the death toll in road accidents has dropped to 1,230. Due to the corona pandemic and the lockdown and curfew imposed during that time, the number of people killed in road accidents has decreased. He said that the epidemic has broken the myth that road accidents are reduced through collection of fines and fines. He said, besides road engineering, other factors should be added behind road accidents.
Police need to be trained to understand the elements of traffic violations
Rohit Baluja also said that today efforts are being made to improve road safety without understanding road and traffic engineering, which is essential for driving. He said the police should be given basic training to understand the elements of traffic law violation. Besides, drivers should be made aware of the symbols placed on the side of the road. He said that it is futile to do anything about road safety in such a situation unless corrective measures are taken as a whole.
How to reduce death in road accidents?
KK Kapila, president emeritus of the International Road Federation (IRF) said that 11 per cent of all road accidents worldwide occur in India. Apart from this, India has signed the UN declaration to reduce road accidents by 50 percent by 2030. However, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has brought down this UN target to 2025. IRF focuses on road and vehicle engineering, education, enforcement, emergency services and road safety to reduce road deaths in India.
Road signs are not visible in Delhi
KK Kapila says drivers in India take road signs lightly or ignore them, but in Delhi road signs are not visible. He said, road signs are not visible in Delhi. Somewhere it is hidden, somewhere it is lost and somewhere wrong road sign is installed. He said, however, slight changes in road engineering signs, markings, layout of road junctions prove very helpful in reducing road accidents.
