Safety Challenges On Indian Roads
S.K. Nirmal, Secretary General, Indian Roads Congress, Director General (Road Development) & Special Secretary (Retd), MoRTH, gives an overview of India’s road network, causes of road accidents, and the safety measures and policies required to prevent accidents.
India has the second largest road network across the world, amounting to 6.67 million km. The share of National Highways is 2.2% and State Highways is 2.7% in the total road network. Two-lane National Highways constitute the largest share of 59% in the total length of NHs.
The number of motorized vehicles in India is increasing rapidly due to sustained economic development as well as expansion of the road network. According to statistics of MoRTH, the total registered motor vehicles in India as of 31st March 2022 was 340 million. Composition of vehicular population in 2020 shows the highest share of two wheelers (74.7%) followed by cars, jeeps, and taxies (13.4%), other vehicles (6.9%), goods vehicles (4.4%), and buses (0.7%). This is indicative of the growing road traffic congestion in the country.
It may be seen from the above table that the numbers of accidents, fatalities and injuries substantially increased in 2022. Further, crash severity i.e. number of persons killed per 100 crashes increased from 20.2 in 2000 to 36.5 in 2022.
More accidents on these highways have been attributed to higher vehicle speed and increasingly higher volume of traffic.
The crash pattern of NHs has revealed that two-wheelers recorded the highest number of deaths (44.5%) followed by pedestrians (19.5%), and cars, taxis and vans (12.5%).
From the table above it may be seen that over speeding constitutes the main violation associated with accident, accident-related deaths, and injuries. During 2022, over speeding accounted for 72.3% of the road accidents and 71.2% of the deaths.
The blackspots are being rectified by providing immediate short-term measures such as cautionary road signs and markings, transverse bar markings, rumble strips and solar blinkers. For long term rectification, measures such as Flyovers, Underpasses, Foot Over Bridges, Service Roads etc. are being provided wherever required.
Traffic calming measures such as traffic warning signs, delineators, road studs, bar markings, humps at approach roads, etc. are taken at vulnerable sections of National Highways to reduce road accident fatalities.
It is mandatory to carry out Road Safety Audits of all highway projects at all stages i.e, during design, construction, operation and maintenance. The Road Safety Audit is being carried out as per Indian Roads Congress Standards IRC: SP:88.
Vehicle Engineering: To enhance the safety of the vehicle, fitment of front airbag for driver was mandated from 01st July 2019. From 31st December 2021 for all models, fitment of co-driver airbag has been made mandatory.
Enforcement Measures: The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, is the principal instrument through which road transport is regulated in the country. The same has been amended first time in a comprehensive way by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, passed by the Parliament and published in the Gazette of India on 9th August 2019.
Challenges in Road Safety: National Highways, having a length of only 2.2% of the total road network, accounted for 32.9% of the total number of accidents, 32.6 % of total injuries, and 36.2% of deaths. Similarly, State Highways having a length of only 2.7% of the total road network, accounted for 23.1% of the total number of accidents, 24% of the total injuries, and 24.3% of deaths during 2022. Thus, 4.9% length of our highways accounts for 56% of total accidents, 56.6 % of total injuries, and 60.5% of total deaths.
In 2022, 72.4% of accidents and 75.2% of deaths due to over speeding and 44.5% of deaths of two-wheeler riders were recorded. Road accidents are a cause of serious concern and the issue needs to be addressed on an urgent basis through policy intervention. As per the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety, Road Safety Audit is mandatory at the DPR stage for all road projects of 5 km or more length. There is also a huge requirement of qualified RSAs for capacity building.
IRC has formulated a national curriculum for a 15-day training course on ‘Road Safety Audit'; it is at par with the best international standards for providing training to highway engineers and auditors with the aim to maintain uniformity in the country. Subsequently, the Memorandum of Understanding for Imparting Training on Road Safety and Safety Audit was signed between MoRTH & IRC with11 institutes. Through these institutes, 40 training programmes have so far been conducted in the last 3 years, thereby training more than 1200 safety professionals. This has gone a long way in capacity building by the Government of India and the Indian Roads Congress for improving the road safety in the country.
Road Network in India
Road transport is the prominent mode of transport in India, catering to 65% of goods transportation and 85% of passenger traffic, contributing significantly to the nation’s economic growth. Road transport service accounted for 3.3% of the country’s gross value addition (GVA).India has the second largest road network across the world, amounting to 6.67 million km. The share of National Highways is 2.2% and State Highways is 2.7% in the total road network. Two-lane National Highways constitute the largest share of 59% in the total length of NHs.
The number of motorized vehicles in India is increasing rapidly due to sustained economic development as well as expansion of the road network. According to statistics of MoRTH, the total registered motor vehicles in India as of 31st March 2022 was 340 million. Composition of vehicular population in 2020 shows the highest share of two wheelers (74.7%) followed by cars, jeeps, and taxies (13.4%), other vehicles (6.9%), goods vehicles (4.4%), and buses (0.7%). This is indicative of the growing road traffic congestion in the country.
Road Accidents in India
As per MoRTH’s official data, 1,68,491 persons were killed and 4,43,366 injured in 4,12,432 number of road traffic accidents in 2022. Road accidents were therefore causing 19 fatalities every hour (on an average) during 2022.It may be seen from the above table that the numbers of accidents, fatalities and injuries substantially increased in 2022. Further, crash severity i.e. number of persons killed per 100 crashes increased from 20.2 in 2000 to 36.5 in 2022.
Accidents as per Road Category
The National Highways constituted only 2.2% of the total length of roads in India but accounted for 36.2% of the fatalities and 32.9% of total road accidents in 2022. State Highways which accounted for 2.7% of the total road length accounted for 23.1% and 24.3% of accidents and fatalities, respectively. Other roads, which constitute about 95.1% of the total roads were responsible for 43.9% of the accidents and 39.4% road accident fatalities.More accidents on these highways have been attributed to higher vehicle speed and increasingly higher volume of traffic.
Crash Scenario on National Highways
The National Highways (NHs) of India are the major roads of the country, supporting economic activity apart from providing mobility and accessibility to the masses. They traverse the length and breadth of the country connecting state capitals and major cities. NHs plays a vital role in providing medium and long-distance inter-city passenger and freight traffic across the country.The crash pattern of NHs has revealed that two-wheelers recorded the highest number of deaths (44.5%) followed by pedestrians (19.5%), and cars, taxis and vans (12.5%).
Profile of Road Accidents
In Table 3 it may be seen that the share of Two-Wheeler riders getting killed in road accidents increased from 43.5% to 44.5%. Similarly, pedestrians getting killed increased from 17.1% to 19.5%. Thus, 64% of the fatalities were these two categories alone; this requires special interventions at the policy level.Cause of Road Accidents
Road accidents are multi causal and are the result of an interplay of various factors. These can broadly be categorized into those relating to i) human error, (ii) road condition/environment and iii) vehicular condition. The detail of road accidents caused by human error attributable to various traffic rules violations are given in Table 4.From the table above it may be seen that over speeding constitutes the main violation associated with accident, accident-related deaths, and injuries. During 2022, over speeding accounted for 72.3% of the road accidents and 71.2% of the deaths.
Initiatives taken up by Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
Educative Measures
The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has implemented a scheme, “Grant of Financial Assistance for Administering Road Safely Advocacy and Awards for the Outstanding Work done in the field of Road Safety”. Under the scheme, financial assistance is provided to various eligible agencies such as NGO /Trust under Indian Trusts Act/ Cooperative Society Act under Societies Registration Act/ Firm registered under the companies Act, 1956/ 2013 to address the issue of road safety based on Education Engineering (both of roads and vehicles), Enforcement and Emergency Care. To create effective public awareness about road safety, the Ministry undertakes various social media, electronic media and print media.Engineering Measures
High priority has been accorded for identification and rectification of blackspots (accidents prone spots) on National Highways. Concerted efforts have been made towards improvement of road safety through engineering measures on National Highways based on accident and fatality data of year 2015-2018 in 30 states / UTs.The blackspots are being rectified by providing immediate short-term measures such as cautionary road signs and markings, transverse bar markings, rumble strips and solar blinkers. For long term rectification, measures such as Flyovers, Underpasses, Foot Over Bridges, Service Roads etc. are being provided wherever required.
Traffic calming measures such as traffic warning signs, delineators, road studs, bar markings, humps at approach roads, etc. are taken at vulnerable sections of National Highways to reduce road accident fatalities.
Road Safety Audits
Vehicle Engineering: To enhance the safety of the vehicle, fitment of front airbag for driver was mandated from 01st July 2019. From 31st December 2021 for all models, fitment of co-driver airbag has been made mandatory.
Enforcement Measures: The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, is the principal instrument through which road transport is regulated in the country. The same has been amended first time in a comprehensive way by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, passed by the Parliament and published in the Gazette of India on 9th August 2019.
Challenges in Road Safety: National Highways, having a length of only 2.2% of the total road network, accounted for 32.9% of the total number of accidents, 32.6 % of total injuries, and 36.2% of deaths. Similarly, State Highways having a length of only 2.7% of the total road network, accounted for 23.1% of the total number of accidents, 24% of the total injuries, and 24.3% of deaths during 2022. Thus, 4.9% length of our highways accounts for 56% of total accidents, 56.6 % of total injuries, and 60.5% of total deaths.
In 2022, 72.4% of accidents and 75.2% of deaths due to over speeding and 44.5% of deaths of two-wheeler riders were recorded. Road accidents are a cause of serious concern and the issue needs to be addressed on an urgent basis through policy intervention. As per the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety, Road Safety Audit is mandatory at the DPR stage for all road projects of 5 km or more length. There is also a huge requirement of qualified RSAs for capacity building.
Indian Roads Congress Initiatives For Road Safety
IRC has a dedicated technical expert committee on Road Safety. During the last couple of years numerous new and revised documents on road safety were published by IRC viz. Road Safety Audit Manual (IRC:88); Identification and Treatments of Black spots (IRC:131); Traffic Calming Measure (IRC:99); Road Signage (IRC:67); Road Marking (IRC:35); Crash Barriers(IRC:119), Pedestrians Facilities (IRC:103), Parking Facilities (IRC:SP:12); Safer Commute to School (IRC:SP:32); Cycle Tracks (IRC:11) etc, for their adoption by road user agencies and highway professionals.IRC has formulated a national curriculum for a 15-day training course on ‘Road Safety Audit'; it is at par with the best international standards for providing training to highway engineers and auditors with the aim to maintain uniformity in the country. Subsequently, the Memorandum of Understanding for Imparting Training on Road Safety and Safety Audit was signed between MoRTH & IRC with11 institutes. Through these institutes, 40 training programmes have so far been conducted in the last 3 years, thereby training more than 1200 safety professionals. This has gone a long way in capacity building by the Government of India and the Indian Roads Congress for improving the road safety in the country.
About the Author:
S.K. Nirmal, Secretary General, Indian Roads Congress, Director General (Road Development) & Special Secretary (Retd), MoRTH.
NBM&CW - March 2024
