World Health Organization (WHO) report on road safety claims that Indian roads are amongst the deadliest roads in the world with rising road fatalities and poor follow-up of traffic norms in the country. Most of the people in India don’t bother to obey the rules and regulations of traffic that are made for their own safety, be it pedestrians who cross roads avoiding subways and overbridges provided by the government. Lack of infrastructure is also a key factor behind road fatalities in India, where detection of violations is very low and obtaining a driver’s license is a cake walk. Following are some facts coming out of the report regarding road safety:
- Less than 50% two-wheeler drivers and less than 10% pillions in India wear helmets while 27% of drivers wear seatbelts
- Only 11-49% seriously injured victims are taken to hospital by ambulances
- While 88 countries have reduced the figure of road fatalities between 2008 and 2011, India claims increased figures
- Total number of deaths recorded on roads in India in 2011 is 1.43 lakhs
- China recorded second highest number of deaths at 70,134 after India in 2010, followed by Brazil claiming 36,499 deaths
- 28 countries have adequate laws that address all five risk factors including speed, driving under influence, helmets, seatbelts and child restraints, India has the worst record on all the five factors
- Detection of violations is very low in India at 3 on a scale of 0-10, while Singapore has scored seven points
- Detection of violation regarding two-wheeler helmets in India is as low as 2 on a scale of 10
- Around 27% of all road traffic deaths occur among pedestrians and cyclists, who are the most vulnerable users
- Half of the world’s road traffic deaths occur among motorcyclists (23%), pedestrians (22%) and cyclists (5%) while 31% of deaths come from car occupants and the rest 19% from unspecified road users
- People in the age group of 15-44 years put up around 59% of global road traffic deaths
- 77% of all road traffic deaths occur among men
