Lok Sabha Question No. 1222 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-09
Subject: Accident Prone Roads
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Jual Oram

1222.

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  increasing  number  of  road accidents on National Highways (NHs);
- (b) if so, the details of NHs which are prone to road accidents along with the number of total accidental deaths taking place annually on these NHs;
- (c) the reasons for the increase in such accidents in the State of Odisha; and
- (d) the  remedial  measures  adopted  to  prevent/  stop  such  accidents  and ensure the safety of NH users?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b) As per the data received from police department of all States/UTs, the total number of road accidents occurred on National Highways (including expressways) in the country during the year 2017 to 2021 is given in the table below : -

|   Year | Total Number of Road Accidents   |
|--------|----------------------------------|
|   2017 | 1,41,466                         |
|   2018 | 1,40,843                         |
|   2019 | 1,37,191                         |
|   2020 | 1,16,496                         |
|   2021 | 1,28,825                         |

Ministry does not collect and compile information on road accidents, National Highways' number-wise.

- (c) As  per  yearly  analysis  of  road  accident  data,  received  from  Police Departments of States/UTs, road accidents occur due to multiple causes such as over speeding, use of mobile phone, drunken driving/consumption of alcohol and drug, driving on wrong side/ lane indiscipline, jumping red light, vehicular condition, weather condition, road condition, fault of driver / cyclist/ pedestrian etc.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1222

ANSWERED ON 9 TH  FEBRUARY, 2023

## ACCIDENT PRONE ROADS

SHRI JUAL ORAM:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

- (d)      To  prevent/  stop  road  accidents  and  ensure  road  safety,  Ministry  has formulated a multi-pronged strategy 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:-

## (1)        Education:

- i.        To  create  effective  public  awareness  about  road  safety,  Ministry undertakes various publicity measures and awareness campaigns through social media, electronic media and print media. Further, Ministry implements a scheme to provide financial assistance to various agencies for administering Road Safety Advocacy.
- ii.       Observance of National Road Safety Month/Week every year for spreading awareness and strengthening road safety.
- iii.      A  Certification  Course  for  Road  Safety  Auditor  has  been  mandated  for technical officers of all road owning agencies under the Ministry up to the level of Superintending Engineer or equivalent.
- iv.      To impart driving training, Ministry has been implementing a scheme for setting up of Institute of Driving Training & Research (IDTRs), Regional Driving Training Centres (RDTCs) and Driving Training Centres (DTCs) at state/district level across the Country.
- (2)     Engineering (both of Roads and vehicles)

## 2.1.    Road engineering:

- i.        Road safety has been made an integral part of road design at planning stage. Road  Safety  Audit  (RSA)  of  all  highway  projects  has  been  made mandatory at all stages.
- ii.       Road Safety Audit (RSA) of all National Highways (NHs) has been made mandatory through third party auditors/ experts at all stages i.e. design, construction, operation and maintenance etc.
- iii.       High priority to identification and rectification of black spots /accident spots on National Highways.
- iv.      Road Safety Officer (RSO) has been designated at each Regional Office of road owning agencies under the Ministry to look after RSA, blackspot rectification and other road safety related works.
- v.       Five stretches of NH having higher number of accidents/blackspots are being developed as Model Safe Roads under each regional office of all road owning agencies under the Ministry.
- vi.      Five project stretches under construction are being developed as Model Safe  Construction  Zones  under  each  regional  office  of  all  road  owning agencies under the Ministry.
- vii.       The  electronic  Detailed  Accident  Report  (e-DAR)  Project  has  been initiated to establish a central repository for reporting, management and analysis of road accidents data across the Country.
- viii. Ministry and IRC has issued various codes and guidelines, time to time, to implement various road safety measures so as to minimize accidents on National Highways.
9. 2.2     Vehicle engineering:
- i.        The Ministry has notified regarding mandatory provision of an airbag for the passenger seated on the front seat of a vehicle, next to the driver.
- ii.       This Ministry, vide notification dated 15th February, 2022 has prescribed norms related to safety measures for children below four years of age, riding or being carried on a motor cycle. Further, it specifies use of a safety harness, crash helmet and restricts speed to 40kmph.
- iii.        Ministry  has  notified  the  mandatory  fitment  of  following  listed  safety technologies from 01st July 2019.

For M1 category vehicles:

- a. Seat Belt Reminder (SBR) for driver and co-driver.
- b. Manual Override for central locking system
- c. Over speed warning system.

For all M and N category vehicles:

- a. Reverse Parking Alert System
- iv.     The  Ministry  has  mandated  Anti-Lock  Braking System (ABS) for certain classes  of  L  [Motor  vehicle  with  less  than  four  wheels  and  includes  a Quadricycle], M [Motor vehicles with at least four wheels used for carrying passengers]  and  N  [Motor  vehicles  with  at  least  four  wheels  used  for carrying goods which may also carry persons in addition to goods, subject to conditions stipulated in BIS standards] categories.
- v.         This  Ministry  has  mandated  approval  of  vehicles  for  protection  of occupants in the event of an Offset Frontal Collision, for requirements for behavior  of  steering  mechanism  of  the  vehicle  in  a  Head-on  collision, Protection of Occupants in the event of Lateral Collision and for approval of vehicles with regard to protection of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users in the event of a collision with a motor vehicle.
- vi.      The Ministry has mandated speed limiting function/speed limiting device in  all  transport  vehicles,  except  for  two  wheelers,  three  wheelers, quadricycles, fire tenders, ambulances and police vehicles.
- vii.    This  Ministry  has  mandated  compliance  of  the  fully  built  buses  (with  a seating capacity of 22 passengers or above, excluding driver), manufactured on and after 1st April 2019, with the requirements of Fire Detection, Alarm and Suppression system. Further, compliance of type III

buses  of  category  M3  and  school  buses  with  fire  alarm  and  protection system in occupant compartment has also been mandated, on and after 26th January 2023.

- viii.   The  Ministry  has  prescribed  the  format in which  vehicle manufacturers issue the Road Worthiness Certification for registering motor vehicles.
- ix.   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.
- x.     Ministry  vide Notifications dated 23 rd  September, 2021 and 31 st  October, 2022  published  the  rules  for  recognition,  regulation  and  control  of Automated Testing Stations.
- xi.   Notification vide GSR 272(E) dated 05 th  April. 2022, provides for mandatory fitness  of  vehicles  only  through  an  Automated  Testing  Stations.   It mandates the fitness  check  of  Heavy  Goods  Vehicles/Heavy  Passenger Motor Vehicles only through automated testing stations with effect from 01st April  2023  onwards,  and  for  Medium  Goods  Vehicles/Medium Passenger Motor Vehicles and Light Motor vehicles (Transport) with effect from 01st June 2024 onwards.
- xii. Ministry has formulated the Vehicle Scrapping Policy based on incentives/dis-incentives and for creating an ecosystem to phase out older, unfit polluting vehicles
- (3)        Enforcement:
- i.        The  Motor  Vehicles  (Amendment)  Act,  2019  as  stands  implemented provides  for  strict  penalties  for  ensuring  compliance  and  enhancing deterrence for violation of traffic rules and strict enforcement through use of technology.
- ii.     Ministry has issued notification G.S.R. 575(E) dated 11th August, 2021 for Electronic Monitoring and Enforcement of Road Safety. The rules specify the detailed provisions for placement of electronic enforcement devices (speed camera, closed-circuit television camera, speed gun, body wearable camera, dashboard camera, Automatic Number Plate Recognition  (ANPR),  weigh  in  machine  (WIM)  and  any  such  other technology specified by the State Government).
- (4)        Emergency care:
- i.        Ministry  has  published  rules  vide  GSR  594(E)  dated  29.09.2020  for  the protection of Good Samaritan, who in good faith, voluntarily and without expectation of any reward or compensation renders emergency medical or nonmedical care or assistance at the scene of an accident to the victim or transports such victim to the hospital.
- ii. Ministry vide notification dated  25 th  February,  2022  has  enhanced compensation of victims of Hit and Run motor accidents (from Rs. 12,500 to  Rs.  50,000  for  grievous  hurt  and  from  Rs.  25,000  to  Rs.  2,00,000  for death).
- iii.     The  National  Highways  Authority  of  India  has  made  provisions  for ambulances with paramedical staff/Emergency Medical Technician/Nurse at  toll plazas  on  the  completed  corridor  of  National Highways.

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