Hardly a day goes by when the
newspapers do not carry news about pedestrians being killed on our roads.
Pedestrians account for the largest number of fatalities on our roads. Cyclists
come second.
No thought is given to the
plight of these road users who pay a heavy price for the Governments oversight.
Pedestrians and cyclists are
also to blame. They follow no rules. Jay walking is common. It is an offence in
many countries. What is jay walking? Crossing the road dangerously or
carelessly. We see it all the time.
The proper procedure to cross a
road is
look right, then left, then right again. If all clear, only then step off the
sidewalk.
Caution; India is the only country in the world where you must look both ways
before crossing a one way street!
Self-preservation is the first
law of Nature. Sadly, no one told the pedestrian or cyclist this.
Traffic management has many
dimensions, controlling the movement of mechanised vehicle is just one aspect.
Pedestrians who also share the road must be “moved’’ safely. India has the
dubious distinction of having the highest number of road fatalities in the
world, Over 150,000 killed each year. Of this 12,500 are pedestrian.
Taking
cognizance of this “epidemic” the World Bank (WB), World Health Organisation (WHO)
and the FIA Foundation for the Automobile and Society have come together to
initiate the Global Road Safety Partnership.
These three
agencies WB, WHO and FIA have spent the last 6 years in preparing the Good
Practice Manual (GPM) which impresses the use of seat belt (which we are
reluctant to use), Child seat (Which don’t exist in this country) and helmets
(irrespective of religion). Manuals and procedure guides are of no use. What is
required is a large dollop of common sense, plus road sense, traffic etiquette and
discipline.
Pedestrian
death should not be accepted is inevitable. They are predictable and
preventable.
The
Global Road Safety Partnerships has made some very valuable recommendations
based on observations collected from around the world over the past six years.
These
recommendations are utter common sense and a valuable procedure guide.
However,
the Partnership must accept the fact that what applies to and works in other
country may not be practical in India.
Chandigarh
plays host to three State, The Union Territory Punjab and Haryana. Every other
car has a red or blue light on the roof. This gives them the right to drive the
way they want to, read as the right not to observe any road rules! The law
breakers are the law makers! No traffic policemen dare stop them. Often these
dome-light cars are driven by the security personnel or the brats of the high
and mighty.
Punjab has the unique problem, the numbers of
VIPs who feel threatened! The Punjab government has mentioned in an affidavit
to the Supreme Court that there are 1294 VIPs and 4,121 policemen to provide
them security. This translate into 3 policemen for each VIP and one policemen
for 355 Mango-Man, meaning Aam-Aadmi! No surprise than that law enforcement is
on the back burner.
Probably
the most serious problem. We do not have qualified road engineers or traffic
management experts. Roads are built by the PWD. Can they Build road? Yes! Can
they build safe road? NO!
Problem:
A road becomes congested
Solution:
Widen it! And the footpath disappears! The focus and priority is on cars not
pedestrians.
A high speed expressway is built. It is for
cars only. We have really not emmergefully from the bulk cart stage. No
provisions for animal drawn carts, hand carts, cycles and pedestrians. As
already mentioned, cyclist and pedestrians account for the largest number of
fatalities. They should be the for most consideration when building roads. They
came well before the motor car.
The
potential of the car as a lethal weapon should not be under estimated. Driving
at kmph, the car, weigh at least 850kg, generates 200 times more energy than
the bullet from a hand gun.
Should
you not be 200 times more careful behind the wheel?