Lok Sabha Question No. 495 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-04
Subject: Decade of Action for Road Safety
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Shashi Tharoor

## be pleased to state:

- (a)    whether specific measures introduced to reduce road fatalities by at least 50 percent by pursuing the 'Decade of Action for Road Safety' as adopted by the UN General Assembly for 2011-2020 could not be successfully implemented as India still witnesses around 5 lakh accidents and 1.5 lakh deaths every year;
- (b)     if so, the details thereof along with the reasons therefor;
- (c)      whether the online cab aggregators have also partnered with the Government to spread awareness about road safety and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d)     whether there is a reduction in allocation of funds for road safety in the budget and if so, the reasons therefor?

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT & HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 495 ANSWERED ON 4 TH  FEBRUARY, 2021

## DECADE OF ACTION FOR ROAD SAFETY

## 495.  DR. SHASHI THAROOR:

## 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)   The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways accords very high priority to  road safety and has taken various steps for road safety as per the Decade of Action. The main key successes in the field of Road Safety during the last decade are as under:

- (i) Focus  on  four  Es  based  strategy  for  road  safety  i.e. Education, Engineering (both of roads and vehicles), Enforcement and Emergency.
- (ii)     Strengthening the legislation for road safety by way of Motor
- Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019
- (iii)    Improvements in vehicle safety standards.
- (iii)    Rules for protection of Good Samaritans.
- (iv)        Awareness  campaigns  to  create  awareness  among  the citizen.
- (v)      Road safety audit of the road project
- (vi)     Identification and rectification of black spots.
- (vii)    Member of Parliaments' Committee on Road Safety under the  Chairmanship  of  Hon'ble  Member  of  Parliament  in  each district.
- (viii)   IT system for monitoring and enforcement

As per available information, data on road accidents & persons killed during the last four years 2016-2019 are as under:-

|   Year | Total Road Accidents   | %change over previous year   | No. of persons killed   | % change over previous year   |
|--------|------------------------|------------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------------|
|   2016 | 4,80,652               |                              | 1,50,785                |                               |
|   2017 | 4,64,910               | (-)3.28                      | 1,47,913                | (-)1.90                       |
|   2018 | 4,67,044               | (+)0.46                      | 1,51,417                | (+)2.37                       |
|   2019 | 4,49,002               | (-)3.86                      | 1,51,113                | (-)0.20                       |

The  road  Accidents  are  multi-causal  and  are  the  result  of interplay  of  various  factors  which  can  broadly  be  categorized  into human error, Road condition/environment and vehicular condition. The volume of traffic also increases travel risks and traffic exposure at a much faster rate. (c)                The  Ministry  of  Road  Transport  and  Highways  have  taken various  measures  to  make  our  roads  safer.  However,  to  take cognizance  of  the  issue  and  make  road  safety  awareness  a  mass movement, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways also appeals to all the other stakeholders i.e. OEMs, Transporter associations, online cab aggregators etc. from time to time to propagate the cause of safer roads amongst the road users. The National Road Safety Month, 2021 has been scheduled from 18 th  January, 2021 to 17 th  February, 2021. During  the  Month,  a  various  awareness  and  public  participation programmes are being organised . (d)       No Sir.   Adequate funds are allotted for road safety in the budget every year.

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