Almost every day, we read news about ghastly and fatal crashes on the roads across the country. It is a fact that for most of us, a road journey, short or long, is no longer safe in India. Our careful and safe driving – following traffic norms – does not help us because of just a few irresponsible, aggressive and unmanageable drivers, who somehow manage to get away from the clutches of law…leaving the majority of us who follow the rules, disgusted, frustrated and helpless. It is scary to remain exposed to danger from reckless high speed and abrupt lane-changing driving by some road users.

How long can just a few unprofessional drivers, boisterous brats and rogues, who at times get drunk and drive, be allowed to make the roads unsafe and hazardous for the majority of law abiding commuters, cyclists, pedestrians and innocent passengers in buses etc? Knee-jerk traffic drives against dark glasses, over speeding, jumping red lights, not wearing helmets, not having pollution certificates and displaying caste symbols on the rear windscreen etc. by the authorities appear comical now; they add more salt to wounds than provide any assurance or sense of safety to most of us. However, the story at road crossings, roads within the cities including highways etc. becomes totally different during visits of VIPs. Suddenly, traffic police and patrol vehicles appear at all busy intersections, city roads and even expressways. The traffic becomes disciplined and flows the way it ought to move all the time. During such times, most of us feel safe and secure to drive.

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One wonders why the same protection is not extended on all days. Why is our right to safety and security not being ensured? Why are the State and Central Governments not tackling the issue boldly and with an iron fist? Where is the rule of law, one naturally wonders! Just a look at the data available on road accidents in our country for the year 2022 highlights the consequences of apathy and knee-jerk action by authorities in enforcing traffic rules. There were 461,312 reported cases of road accidents resulting in 168,491 fatalities with 443,366 persons getting seriously injured. Significantly, the accidents have consistently registered an upward trend registering an increase of 11.9 per cent in accidents, 9.4 per cent in fatalities, and 15.3 per cent in injuries compared to the previous year.

Not only this, about 39 per cent of road accidents and 36 per cent of fatalities have been recorded on National Highways with State Highways following closely. At the same time, data available from World Health Organization (WHO) for road accidents across the world shows a downward trend despite higher density of vehicles as compared to India. The key causes for the staggering number of road accidents mentioned above have been identified as follows. Out of these, just about the first three or four causes have also been acknowledged by WHO as being the main reasons for worldwide road crashes:

• Over speeding (72.3 per cent of accidents and 71.25 per cent of deaths in India as per the above data).

• Drunken driving.

• Not Using Seat belts.

• Unsafe Road Conditions.

• Driving on the wrong side (5.4 per cent of deaths as per the above data).

• Distracted driving (using mobile phones).

• Jumping red lights.

• Aggressive lane changing at high speeds.

• Abruptly braking to avoid potholes.

• Overloading.

• Poorly maintained vehicles with worn-out tires.

• Ill trained and at times uneducated drivers and yet holding valid licenses.

The irony is that about 67 per cent of these accidents have happened on straight roads while accidents on curved and steep climbing roads etc. account for just 13.8 per cent. The most alarming findings from the same data point show about 66.55 per cent deaths of those between the age group of 18 and 45 and the shocking figure of about 83 per cent of deaths involving people in the working age group of 18 to 60 years. It’s important to note that road accidents not only result in loss of life and property but also have a significant impact on the economy, due to factors such as increased healthcare costs, loss of productivity, and damage to infrastructure.

It is time our Governments at the Centre and in states wake up to address the growing deadly menace on our roads seriously, and with a zero tolerance enforcement strategy. There is an urgent need for the presence of alert and professionally trained traffic police personnel and patrol cars at all crossings, intersections and roads for on all days with no let up on holidays and Sundays. The time seems to be up for educating and counseling errant drivers. The punishment must be immediate, including very heavy fines, on-the-spot impounding of vehicles and speedy fast track trials to ensure justice and greater deterrence. The errant drivers need to be caught and punished. There is an equal need for ensuring roads are free from potholes, encroachments and stray cattle.

At the same time, availability of post crash professional medical care with trained medical staff is vital. Do we need another “tryst with destiny” to liberate us from this agony running amok on our roads? It has become almost a nightmare to drive in cities and on highways. Most of the time smooth flow of traffic gets impeded by those trying to race ahead, crisscrossing at high speed and aggressively throwing other commuters off guard.

It is equally appalling to note that most of the National/State highways and roads in the cities remain in a dilapidated condition with potholes forcing drivers to keep changing lanes and also apply sudden brakes to avoid getting into a ditch. The question remains – How can we wake our Governments up and force them to muster courage as well as have the will to discharge the basic responsibility of tackling a hazardous traffic pandemic?

(The writer is a retired Air Commodore, VSM, of the Indian Air Force.)