Real accident videos to be used for awareness

Real-life accident videos will be the new tool for the government to create awareness among the public over dangerous driving.

With India having the dubious distinction of the highest number of road accidents in the world, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has decided to use real accident videos to create awareness among the public.

The ministry is emulating the UK and Australia models where similar campaigns were adopted to curb road accidents.

Union Road Transport Secretary Y S Malick told DH that instead of advisories or publicity, videos of actual accidents will have more impact on people.

The government has started collecting videos from the state governments and various highways operating agencies, while also verifying them.

They will be used for campaigning with graphics explaining the dangers of careless driving, the official said.

India remains on top of the world when it comes to road accidents, with 1,50,935 deaths from over 5 lakh accidents in 2017.

The Ministry of Road Transport had also written to education departments of all states to include road safety in the curriculum. Apart from this, the ministry had roped in Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar as a brand ambassador for its road safety awareness campaign.

Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari had earlier said the Centre is working towards creating a database of driving licences to prevent a driver holding multiple licences as the government feels around 30 % driving licences are bogus.

India, a signatory to the Brasilia Declaration, pledged to reduce road accidents and fatalities by 50% by 2020.