SC move on road safety welcome

The attempt by the Supreme Court to push states into doing something substantial to reduce traffic-related accidents in the country should be characterised as a noble exercise. Noble because India, over the years, has gained notoriety worldwide for the number of road accidents. According to official figures, India has one per cent of the world’s vehicles but 10 per cent of road accident-related deaths. The apex court’s intervention comes at a time when despite globalisation and economic reforms, India’s road safety infrastructure is abysmal. Though there have been attempts to improve the quality of roads in the last two decades and some progress made, they are shamefully short of global standards. Further, the quality of road infrastructure varies from state to state – the bottom line being that even the better off ones are way below acceptable norms.

A three-member road safety committee set up by the Supreme Court last May has given time until June 30 this year for each state to formulate a road safety policy and set up a road safety council. Making clear that it is serious in its endeavour, the committee has also made it incumbent upon the safety councils to at least meet twice a year and record action taken reports based on state-specific recommendations. These councils will not be active only on paper. They will coordinate between the various arms of the state government including the police, public works department, health department and NGOs. If there are, for example, black spots or accident-vulnerable areas, those would be attended to immediately and made safer. The problem in India is not just with road infrastructure but the culture of driving and the mindset of drivers. The road safety councils will also be empowered to pressure the police to enforce traffic rules strictly and increase fines for drunken driving, jumping red lights and overspeeding besides ensuring seat belts are worn at all times.

The committee arrived at its plan of action after detailed discussions with officers from each and every state. This raises hope that some real change can be expected on the ground. Based on the various inputs, the committee has also focussed on highway driving which is a separate issue in itself. At a time when expressways are coming up across the country, and speed of traffic is increasing, road indiscipline can be a costly affair. The road safety councils will find a huge challenge on hand not only to ensure safe infrastructure but also to inculcate good driving practices among the varied road users. Hopefully, the looming presence of the Supreme Court will ensure that the exercise will work.