India
‘I try to hide my face at international conferences on accidents’: Nitin Gadkari on road safety | India News – Times of India
During a discussion on road safety in the Lok Sabha, Gadkari said, “Forget reducing the number of accidents, I have no hesitation in admitting that it has increased. When I go to international conferences where traffic accidents are discussed, I try to hide my face.”
Gadkari’s admission came during Question Hour where he also stressed the need for significant changes in human behaviour, societal attitudes and respect for the rule of law to improve road safety. Sharing a personal anecdote, the minister recounted a serious accident several years ago in which he and his family were involved, which required a lengthy hospital stay.
“By the grace of God, I and my family were saved. So I have my personal experience with accidents,” he said.
Highlighting the major factors contributing to road accidents, Gadkari pointed out improper parking of trucks and lack of lane discipline as major issues. He noted that many accidents are caused by trucks parked haphazardly on the road. To address safety concerns, he announced guidelines for adopting international standards for bus body design, including equipping buses with hammers at windows for emergency exits in case of accidents.
Painting a grim picture of road safety in India, the minister revealed that road accidents claim 1.78 lakh lives every year, with 60% of the victims falling in the age group of 18 to 34 years.
Among the states, Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of fatalities, with over 23,000 deaths, accounting for 13.7% of the total road accident deaths, followed by Tamil Nadu (18,000 deaths, or 10.6%), Maharashtra (15,000 deaths, or 9%), and Madhya Pradesh (13,000 deaths, or 8%).
In terms of cities, Delhi topped the list with more than 1,400 deaths, followed by Bengaluru (915 deaths) and Jaipur (850 deaths).
