Union minister Gadkari sounds alarm over India's road safety situation
What's the story
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has sounded alarm bells over India's worsening road safety situation. Speaking at a road safety event in New Delhi on Monday, Gadkari said nearly five lakh accidents are reported every year, killing 1.8 lakh people. He stressed that 66% of those killed are young people, a loss the country can ill afford.
Safety measures
54,132 people died last year because of not wearing helmets
Gadkari also stressed the importance of helmet use in reducing fatalities.
He said, The minister revealed that last year, 54,132 people lost their lives because they were not wearing helmets. Two-wheeler riders alone accounted for nearly 45% of all road deaths.
He added that "Every hour, 20 people die on our roads," a scale of death not seen even in disease or war.
Economic impact
Road accidents cost nearly 3% of India's GDP every year
Gadkari also highlighted the economic toll of road accidents, which cost nearly 3% of India's GDP every year.
He said poorly designed roads or "black spots" are major contributors to fatalities and announced a ₹40,000 crore government plan to eliminate them.
The Road Transport and Highways Ministry has identified 100 districts with high accident rates for targeted interventions.
Infrastructure growth
India has the highest number of road accidents
Although it has the world's third-largest road network after the United States and China, India tops when it comes to the number of road accidents.
This is in stark contrast to Sweden, which has zero road fatalities due to disciplined systems and enforcement.
Gadkari admitted that human behavior is India's biggest weakness when it comes to road safety.
Collective effort
Road safety is a shared national responsibility
Gadkari stressed that road safety is a shared national responsibility requiring collective efforts from government, institutions, industry, and every road user.
He said while infrastructure improvements are important, creating awareness and encouraging responsible behavior on the roads are equally crucial.
The minister also praised ICICI Lombard for its road safety initiatives as part of its 25th anniversary celebrations, such as distributing over 7 lakh helmets.