32nd National Road Safety Week: India stands in the top 3 positions comprising the highest accident deaths during any year
This year, in 2021, we are celebrating the 32nd National Road Safety Week. The National Road Safety Week is celebrated every year from 11th January to 17th January in India to create awareness about the road safety and with an objective to minimize road accidents, and thereby save lives.
In the year 1989, around 36,000 people had lost their lives due to road accidents. Following this tragedy, the awareness for the National Road Safety Week was celebrated for the first time in that year.
The celebration of the road safety campaign was initiated by the ISS India HSE (Health Safety and Environment) with an aim to make people aware of the national road safety in the Indian subcontinent. ISS India had declared to celebrate the Road Safety Week all through the country in the first week of the month of January.
India has a huge population of road travellers such as two-wheelers, four-wheelers on the road, that is why they must know the road safety. If one looks at the data, then around one lakh people are getting killed per year in road accidents. This number is huge. Also, some of them become a victim of the life-threatening problems such as loss of limbs, loss of memory, mental shock and so many other issues which prevails throughout one’s life. Such conditions, especially in India, increase the importance and necessity of road safety measures.
It also needs efforts from different stakeholders such as the transport sector, community, insurance sector, police, legal sector, health sector, educational institutions, highway engineers, vehicle companies, public agencies, NGOs, etc. Students of many institution also participate in walkathon, marathon, awareness campaign and holding quotation cards aware people about the importance of road Safety.
National Safety Council of India is responsible for organising the National Road Safety Week along with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways every year. During this week, they reveal the National Road Safety Week policies.
What is the need for a Road Safety Week?
In 2015, India had committed itself to decrease the number of road accidents and fatalities to half. This was decided by signing the Brasilia declaration. However, even after five years, this remains a dream unfulfilled and that makes it even more imperative to celebrate this week and create awareness.
Theme
Every year, this week has a theme and all activities are designed around it. The 30th National Road Safety Week 2019 had a theme, ‘road safety is life safety’. Then the 31st National Road Safety week 2020 had a theme, ‘No need to speed’.
This year, the theme for the 32nd National Road Safety Week is ‘Safe yourself to save your family’. This applies to all the safety measures while driving. We all know how important we are for our family, and hence let us keep this in mind and drive carefully.
A few Shocking facts that emphasis why we need a robust National Road Safety Week
India stands in the top 3 positions comprising the highest accident deaths during any year. Approximately, 5 lakh accidents occur every year in India, wherein 25% lead to death. It is identified that accidents in India put an impact on losing GDP by about 2%.
Broad Objectives for celebrating the Road Safety Week
- To motivate all the people who drive vehicles to follow the traffic rules, as well as wear helmets and seat belts while driving
- To decrease and completely eradicate road accidents, which result in death and major injuries by applying the road safety measures
- To make people aware about the speed limit of the vehicles, which help in preventing road accidents
- To implement the new proven preventative measures to lessen the risk of road accidents, death or injury
- To spread the awareness about do not drink and drive, do not drive when tired and do not use phones or radios while driving
- To maintain the speed and required distance from other vehicles
Road safety week is celebrated by performing the following activities:
In India, during the Road Safety Week, the police forces and other departments working for street safety spreads awareness about the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988 and Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill of 2019. In this regard, several seminars, workshops and meetings are organized to tell people about the rules and regulations that have been laid down by the Government. Usually, the following activities are undertaken:
- Various drawing and painting competitions, fairs, road safety advertisements, road rules test, girls scooter rally to encourage the use of helmets and debates on road safety at the All India Radio, etc. are organized.
- Road safety leaflets including chocolates, roses and flowers are distributed to the travellers on the road.
- Quiz related to road safety are also organized to promote people about road safety.
- Commuters are also explained about the methods and necessities of the road safety means they must understand the use of helmets or seat belts while driving on the road or anywhere.
- Free medical check-up camps and driving training workshops are organized for the drivers to encourage them towards road safety.
- Traffic safety games including card games, puzzles, board games, etc. are organized to educate school children about road safety.
