Drive Smart

Traffic Safety

Each year approximately 1.35 million people lose their lives due to traffic rules violations. In countries like India maintaining traffic safety isn’t exactly a piece of cake, people are always in a hurry, they are impatient and violent, and most importantly they think their only concern should be their own safety.

Most of the road users are quite well aware of the general rules and safety measures while using roads but it is only the laxity on part of road users, which cause accidents and crashes. Main cause of accidents and crashes are due to human errors. 

Drive Safe

Some of the major causes of road accidents are:- 

1. Over Speeding:- 

Most of the lethal accidents occur due to over speeding. Over speeding of the vehicle is a very “COOL” concept among the youngsters, they think that over speeding is fun and thrilling, but they fail to understand that they are not the only people driving or walking on the road and their one stupid mistake can cost someone their life. Higher the speed, greater the risk.

The ability to judge the forthcoming events also gets reduced while driving at faster speed which causes error in judgment and finally a crash.

2. Drunken Driving:- 

Consumption of alcohol to celebrate an occasion is very common, but when it gets mixed with driving it leads to a series of unfortunate events. 

Alcohol not only decreases the concentration of a person but it also decreases the reaction time of the human body. It hampers with a person’s vision and their ability to drive safely and carefully.

3. Distraction to driver:- 

These distractions might be minor but their impact can be major and fatal. The major distraction nowadays is talking or texting on the mobile phone while driving. The person gets so wrapped up in the conversation happening over the phone that he/she loses their focus while driving. 

This becomes one of the reasons for crashes. Other types of distractions can be; adjusting mirrors while driving, stereo in vehicles, and animals on the road.

4. Avoiding safety gears like seat Belts and Helmets:- 

These safety gears keep you intact and safe in case of accidents. Studies suggest that wearing seat belts and helmets reduce the severity of injury during accidents.

According to the 2018 report of the World Health Organization (WHO), the highest number of road accidents occur in India worldwide. As per the report of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, 2017; there are about 5 lakh road accidents occurred in India every year in which around 1.5 lakh people are killed.

So in order to prevent the menace on the road, the central government amended The Motor Vehicle Act of 1988. The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019 has been implemented in the country since September 1, 2019. This new act has increased the fine for many offences to check the road accidents and improve the road safety in the country.

Now driving without a driving license will be fined Rs. 5000 instead of Rs. 500.

Here are the new features of The Motor Vehicles Act 2019:-

 

1. Compensation for road accident victim:- 

The Bill increases the minimum compensation for hit and run cases as follows: 

(a) in case of death, from Rs. 25,000 to two lakh rupees, and 

(b) in case of grievous injury, from Rs. 12,500 to Rs. 50,000.

2. Recall of vehicles:- 

The New Bill allows the central government to order for recall of defective motor vehicles which may harm the environment, or the driver, or other road users.

3. Road Safety Board:- 

The National Road Safety Board, will be created by the central government to advise the central and state governments on all aspects of road safety and traffic management.

4. Offence and Fines:- The new Bill has increased fines for several offences under the Act.

If executed properly this act can improve the Indian transportation system and reduce the number of road accidents and offences, but this act alone can’t improve the system on its own, we as citizens also have to be responsible and careful while driving and walking on the road. 

We need to follow these rules not because we would have to pay hefty fines if we didn’t, but because these rules are there to keep us safe.

Its high time we realize that nothing is more important than life itself.

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