Lok Sabha Question No. 2007 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-28
Subject: Road Accidents Due to Over-Speeding
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Vellalath Kochukrishnan Nair. Sreekandan

## be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that of the total 1,31,714 deaths due to road accidents in the country, over-speeding accounts for nearly 70 per cent;
- (b) if  so,  the  steps  taken  to  prevent  road  accidents  due  to  overspeeding;
- (c) whether the Government has set a target of preventing at least 50 per cent of road accident deaths and injuries by the year 2030 and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to halve that numbers by the year 2024; and
- (e)
- if so, the details thereof?

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2007 ANSWERED ON 28 TH  JULY, 2022

## ROAD ACCIDENTS DUE TO OVER-SPEEDING

2007.

SHRI V.K.SREEKANDAN:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

## ANSWER

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

- (a) & (b) Yes, Sir. Further to prevent the road accidents, 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:-
- (1) Education:
- i. To create effective public awareness about road safety, Ministry undertakes various publicity measures and awareness campaigns on road safety through social media, electronic media, and print media.  Further,  Ministry  implements  a  road  safety  advocacy 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 Auditors has been commenced in Indian Academy of Highway Engineers (IAHE).
- iv. To  impart  driving  training  both  theoretical  and  practical  to  the existing and aspiring drivers, for setting standards and monitoring driving training and issue of driving licence based on an objective of scientific process of testing skills, 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 district level in aspirational districts and other rural areas of 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 of all highway projects has been made mandatory at all stages i.e. design, construction, operation and maintenance.
- ii. High  priority  to  identification and  rectification  of  black  spots (accident prone spots) on National Highways
- iii. Ministry has delegated powers to Regional Officers for technical approval of the detailed estimates for rectification of identified Road Accident black spots.
- iv. Guidelines  for  pedestrian  facilities  on  National  Highways  for persons with disabilities have also been issued to all States / UTs.
- v. The electronic Detailed Accident Report (e-DAR) Project has been initiated to establish to a central repository for reporting, management  and  analysis  of  road  accidents  data  across  the Country.
- vi. This 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.
- 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. Furthermore, the Ministry, has also proposed that vehicles of category M1, manufactured after 01st October, 2022, shall be fitted with two side/side torso air bags, one each for the persons occupying front row outboard seating positions and two
- side  curtain/tube  air  bags,  one  each  for  the  persons  occupying outboard seating positions.
- ii. 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
- iii. This Ministry has proposed that all front facing seats in vehicles of M1 category, manufactured on and after 01st October 2022, be provided with three point seat belt.
- iv. 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
5. event of a collision with a motor vehicle.
6. Regulations  for  Bharat  New  Car  Assessment  Programme  -  The Ministry  of  Road  Transport  and  Highways  has  issued  a  draft notification dated 24th June 2022, whereby it is proposed to insert a  new rule 126E in CMVR (Central Motor Vehicles Rules), 1989 regarding the Bharat New Car Assessment Program (BNCAP). The
- vi. following has been proposed :-
- It is applicable on Type Approved motor vehicles of category M1 [ motor vehicles used for the carriage of passengers, comprising not more than eight seats, in addition to driver's seat] with gross vehicle weight less than 3.5 Tonnes, manufactured or imported in the country, in accordance with the Automotive Industry Standard (AIS)-197, as amended from time to time.  The standard is aligned with global benchmarks: it is beyond minimum  regulatory requirements.
- Bharat NCAP rating will provide consumers an indication of the level of protection offered to  occupants by evaluating the vehicle in  the  areas  of  (a)  Adult  Occupant  Protection  (AOP)  (b)  Child Occupant  Protection  (COP)  and  (c)  Safety  Assist  Technologies (SAT). The vehicle shall be assigned a star rating from one to five
10. ·
11. stars, based on scoring against various tests undertaken as per AIS 197.
- It introduces the concept of safety rating of passenger cars and empowers consumers to take informed decisions. It will promote export worthiness of the cars produced by OEMs in the country and  increase  the  domestic  customer's  confidence  in  these vehicles. Additionally the program will encourage manufacturers to provide advanced safety technologies to earn higher ratings.
- The  testing  of  vehicles  for  this  program  will  be  carried  out  at Testing Agencies, with the necessary infrastructure, referred to in
14. Rule 126 of CMVR 1989.
15. Date of Applicability: 1st day of April 2023.
- vii. 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.
- viii. 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.
- ix. The Ministry has prescribed the format in which vehicle manufacturers issue the Road Worthiness Certification for registering motor vehicles.
- x. 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.
- xi. 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.

## (3) Enforcement:

- i. The  Motor  Vehicles  (Amendment)  Act,  2019  provides  for  strict penalties for ensuring strict compliance and enhancing deterrence  for  violation  of  traffic  rules  and  strict  enforcement through use of technology.
- ii. Issue of Guidelines for protection of Good Samaritans and rules as per MV (Amendment) Act, 2019 has been published.
- iii. Notification vide GSR 652 (E) dt 23rd September 2021- provides for recognition, regulation and control of Automated Testing Stations. These rules define the procedure for fitness testing of vehicles through  automated  equipment  and  the  procedure  for  grant  of

fitness certificate by ATSs. These rules came into effect on 25th

September 2021.

- iv. Notification vide GSR 272(E) dated 05th 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.
- v. MoRTH has issued notification G.S.R. 575(E) dt 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 technology).

State Governments shall ensure that appropriate electronic enforcement devices are placed at high-risk and highdensity corridors on National Highways and State Highways, and at critical junctions at least in major cities with more than one million  population  (as  per  data  available  based  on  Million  Plus Urban Agglomerations or Cities: census of India 2011 or as per the latest  census)  including  the  132  non-attainment  cities  (under National Clean Air Programme) , and the electronic enforcement device shall be placed in such a manner so as not to cause any obstruction, line -of-sight issues or interruption in traffic flow.

## (4) Emergency care:

- i. 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.
- ii. Ministry has implemented a Scheme for grant of Award to the Good Samaritan  who  has  saved  life  of  a  victim  of  a  fatal  accident involving a motor vehicle by administering immediate assistance and  rushing  to  Hospital/Trauma  Care  Centre  within  the  Golden Hour of the accident to provide medical treatment.
3. (c) to (e) Government of India is committed as per Stockholm Declaration to reduce number of road traffic deaths and injuries to 50% by 2030.

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