Get rid of road rage

Let’s make it a point that the departed souls aren’t remembered for such gruesome ends. Let the end be better, let the end be meaningful. The end is a destiny, but some of it can be changed by us! DNA pledges to make the city a safer place for pedestrians, motorists and bikers.

Government of Rajasthan will be celebrating the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDR) on November 19. The theme of the day, as is decided by the UN General Assembly, is ‘2020 Target: reduce road fatalities AND serious injuries by 50%’. This theme is based on Pillar 1 of the Global Plan for the Decade of Action – Road Safety Management.

Officials from transport department, police, Sardar Patel Police University’s Center for Road Safety, education department will be paying tribute at Shastri Nagar-based Science Park on Sunday, informed Nidhi Singh, deputy commissioner of road safety cell of transport department.

In addition to this, organisations including NCC, NSS, Scout Guides, along with several NGOs, and media representatives working in this area will also be a part of the event. People who have lost their lives in the road accidents, families of people killed and those who have suffered accidents will also mark their presence.

According to the official data released by the central government, age profile of road accident victims for the calendar year 2016 reveals that the youth between age group of 18 - 35 years accounted for 46.3% (69,851 persons) and age group of 18-45 accounted for a share of 68.6% (1,03,409 persons) in the total road accident fatalities.

‘Observation of this day provides an opportunity to draw the public’s attention to road traffic crashes, their consequences and costs, and the measures which can be taken to prevent them. The day also provides an opportunity to remind governments and society of their responsibility to make roads safer,’ UN says.

DEADLY DIGITS

June 2016

Total accidents 12251
Injury 13053
Death 5432

June 2017

Total accidents 11408
Injury 11601
Death 5322

ROAD CRASH BEHEMOTH

Most Suseptible:15-49 yrs
Road injuries is one of the top four leading causes of death and health loss among persons of age group 15-49 years.

Rising No.
On an average, 1317 accidents and 413 accident deaths took place on Indian roads every day, in 2016.

Uncertain Roads
The National Highways constitute about 2 per cent of the total road network of India, but they accounted for 29.6 per cent of total road accidents and 34.5 per cent of total number of persons killed.

Vehicle Vengeance
Among the vehicle categories, two wheelers accounted for the highest share in total number of road accidents (33.8 per cent) in 2016, followed by cars, jeeps and taxis (23.6 per cent), trucks, tempos, tractors and other articulated vehicles (21.0 per cent), Buses (7.8 per cent), auto-rickshaws (6.5 per cent) and other motor vehicles (2.8 per cent).

Design By: Uttam Kumar Sain

VOICE OF RAJASTHAN

Our vehicles are nothing but multi-ton death machines, and should be treated like the same. Everyone knows that road accident is a major cause of death in the developed world with over 1.4 lakh deaths last year just in India. However, we still carelessly use our phones while driving.
Rahil Sheikh, educator

Road accidents are very unfortunate. Most of these accidents can be prevented. However, the losses have to be borne by the loved ones, due to carelessness of some. such sudden losses hurt the most since they are least expected.
Nidhi Verma, baker

Citizens have to understand the importance of following traffic rules, and, police alone cannot be held responsible for poor traffic management. More number of emergency health facilities along the highways can also help reducing the number of deaths.
Aditya Poonia, IIT graduate

Write to us at: dnajaipur@gmail.com