Lok Sabha Question No. 40 (STARRED), answered on 2022-02-03
Subject: Pedestrian Fatalities in Road Accidents
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Shardaben Anilbhai Patel, Mitesh Rameshbhai (Bakabhai) Patel

## be pleased to state:

- (a) the percentage of pedestrian fatalities out of total number of deaths by road accidents in the country during the last three years;
- (b) whether any study has been conducted to ascertain the reasons for death of pedestrians despite availability of footpaths;
- (c) if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) if not, the concrete steps being taken to prevent accidents of pedestrians?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

- (a) to (d)    A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.40

## ANSWERED ON 3 RD  FEBRUARY, 2022

## PEDESTRIAN FATALITIES IN ROAD ACCIDENTS

- *40.  SHRIMATI SHARDABEN ANILBHAI PATEL: SHRI MITESH RAMESHBHAI PATEL (BAKABHAI):

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (d) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 40 ANSWERED ON 03.02.2022 ASKED BY SHRIMATI SHARDABEN ANILBHAI PATEL & SHRI MITESH RAMESHBHAI PATEL (BAKABHAI) REGARDING PEDESTRIAN FATALITIES IN ROAD ACCIDENTS

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(a) The  Ministry  obtains  information  and  data  on  accidents  and death from State Police. The death of pedestrians as a percentage of the total number of deaths in road accidents in India during the last three calendar years from 2018 to 2020 are shown in the table given below:

|   Year 2018 |   Total Number of Persons killed in road accidents 151417 |   Total Number of Pedestrian Killed in road accidents 22656 |   % share of Pedestrian killed in total Road Accident 14.96 |
|-------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|
|        2019 |                                                    151113 |                                                       25858 |                                                       17.11 |
|        2020 |                                                    131714 |                                                       23483 |                                                       17.83 |

(b) to (d)         To prevent the road accidents and save lives, the Motor Vehicle  (Amendment) Act, 2019 passed by Parliament, focuses on road  safety  and  includes,  inter-alia,  hike  in  penalties  for  traffic violations, electronic monitoring of the same, enhanced penalties for juvenile  driving,  computerization/automation  of  vehicle  fitness  and driving,  tests,  recall  of  defective  vehicles,  streamlining  the  thirdparty insurance and payment of increased compensation for hit and run cases etc. The Amendment has strengthened the Law to improve the road Safety scenario and reduce loss of lives. However, no study on why pedestrian deaths happen is available or has been conducted. Generally, such deaths occur due to pedestrians not following norms laid  down  for  walking  along  roads  or  trying  to  cross  roads  during traffic. Accidents also occur due to over-speeding vehicles.

Ministry  has  issued  various  guidelines  for  pedestrian  safety  on National Highways:-

- The provisions of pedestrian facilities have been specified in the IRC: 103 "Guidelines for Pedestrian Facilities". Ministry has also issued a Circular dated 17th June, 2015 wherein guidelines for Pedestrian Facilities on National Highways for persons with disabilities have been stipulated.
- There  is  provision  of  Median  railing  of  adequate  height  to discourage the pedestrian to cross the road at the vulnerable
- locations in the urban areas.
- FOB   are provided at the various specified location with Ramps or lifts to crossing the pedestrians on National Highways. IRC 56-2011 described about detailed guidelines for providing steel pedestrian bridges.
- Ministry has issued detailed guidelines (IRC 99-2018) for traffic calming measures, in which various traffic measures such as rumble  strip,  Speed  Bumps, Speed  Table/Raised  Pedestrian Crossing,  Road  Narrowing,  Central  Islands  etc  are  provided either on National Highways or adjoining road meeting with a National Highways.

The  Ministry  has  formulated  a multi-pronged  strategy  to address the issue of road safety based on Education, Engineering (both  of  roads  and  vehicles),  Enforcement  and  Emergency  Care. Accordingly, various initiatives have been taken by the Ministry as detailed below :-

## i. Education:

- a. The  Ministry  implements  a  scheme  for  undertaking  publicity measures and awareness campaigns on road safety to create awareness  among  road  users  through  the  electronic  media, print media, NGOs etc.
- b. Observance of National Road Safety Month/Week every year for spreading awareness and strengthening road safety.
- c. A  Certification  Course  for  Road  Safety Auditors  has  been commenced in Indian Academy of Highway Engineers (IAHE).
- d. Education of general public on traffic rules and their applicability.
- ii. Engineering (both of Roads and vehicles)
- Road engineering:
- a. High priority  to  identification and  rectification  of  black  spots (accident prone spots) on national highways.
- b. Road safety has been made an integral part of road design at planning stage.
- c. Ministry has delegated powers to Regional Officers of MORTH for technical approval to the detailed estimates for rectification of identified Road Accident black spots.
- d. Guidelines  for  pedestrian  facilities  on  National  Highways  for persons with disabilities have also been issued to all States / UTs.
- Vehicle engineering:
- a. Safety  standards  for  automobiles  have  been  improved  in respect of Airbags, Anti-Breaking System (ABS), Tyres, Crash test, Whole Vehicle Safety Conformity of Production (WVSCoP) etc.
- b. Ministry has notified fitment of Speed Limiting devices on all transport vehicles.
- c. Scheme  for  setting  up  one  model  Inspection  &  Certification Centre in each State/UT with Central assistance for testing the fitness of vehicles through an automated system.
- iii. Enforcement
- a. The  recently  passed  motor  vehicles  (Amendment)  Act,  2019 provides for strict enforcement through use of technology and further provides for strict penalties for ensuring strict compliance  and  enhancing  deterrence  for  violation  of  traffic rules.
- b. Issue of Guidelines for protection of Good Samaritans and draft rules as per MV (Amendment) Act, 2019 has been published.
- iv. Emergency care:
- a. The  Motor  Vehicles  (Amendment)  Act,  2019  provides  for  a scheme for the cashless treatment of victims of the accident during the golden hour.
- b. The National Highways Authority of India has made provisions for ambulances at all toll plazas on the completed corridor of National Highways.
- c. Further,  297  ambulances  have  been  upgraded  to  Basic  Life Support as per AIS-125.
22. ******