Lok Sabha Question No. 2372 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-03
Subject: Road Safety
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Sisir Kumar Adhikari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2372 ANSWERED ON 3 RD  AUGUST, 2023

## ROAD SAFETY

## 2372. SHRI SISIR KUMAR ADHIKARI:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  constituted 'National  Road  Safety Board'  in  the  country  for promoting  road  safety,  innovation  and adoption of  new  technology  and  for  regulating  traffic  and  motor vehicles safety in the country;
- (b) if so, the detail of action taken by the Board since 2021 therefor;
- (c) the detail of regional structure and involvement of NGOs towards road safety, traffic regulation and the coordination of National Road Safety Council; and
- (d) the details of proposal to create more awareness and reduce road crashes and improve all aspects of safety therein?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) & (b)    As per Section 215B of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, Ministry has notified National Road Safety Board (NRSB) vide SO No. 3627(E) dated 3 rd  September, 2021 and rules for the Board vide GSR 615(E)  dated  3 rd   September,  2021.  As  per  provisions  under  the  NRSB Rules,  Search-Cum-Selection  Committee  has  recommended  panel  of candidates for the post of Chairman and Members of the Board. Based on  the  recommendation  of  the  Search-Cum-Selection  Committee,  a proposal has been submitted to the Department of Personnel & Training for consideration by the Competent Authority.
- (c) & (d) 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 through  social  media,  electronic  media  and  print  media.  Further, Ministry  administers  a  scheme  to  provide  financial  assistance  to various agencies towards 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 administers a scheme for setting up  of  Institutes  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.
- 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 is accorded to identification and rectification of black spots /accident spots on NHs.
- 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.     130 stretches of NH have been identified for developing as Model Safe Roads under the Ministry.
- vi.    85 project stretches of NH have been identified for developing as Model Safe Construction Zone under the Ministry.
- vii.    Ministry  administers  the  electronic  Detailed  Accident  Report  (eDAR)  Project to establish a central repository for reporting, management  and  analysis  of  road  accidents  data  across  the Country.
- viii.  Ministry and IRC have issued various codes and guidelines, time to time, to implement various road safety measures so as to minimize accidents on National Highways.
- ix.   Ministry vide letter dated 20.07.2023 has issued guidelines for the provision  of  signages  on  Expressways  and  National  Highways  by incorporating  best  practices  and  International  standards  to  offer improved  visibility  and  intuitive  guidance  to  the  drivers.  The guidelines are designed to offer drivers clear and concise guidance, warnings, notices, and regulatory information, facilitating a seamless and safe journey on the roads.

## 2.2    Vehicle engineering:

Ministry has taken various initiatives to make vehicles safer, including the following:-

- i.      Mandatory provision of an airbag for the passenger seated on the front seat of a vehicle, next to the driver.
- ii.       Prescribed  norms  vide  notification  dated  15th  February,  2022 related  to  safety  measures  for  children  below  four  years  of  age, riding or being carried on a motor cycle. It also specifies use of a safety harness, crash helmet and restricts speed to 40kmph.
- iii. Mandatory  provisions  for fitment of following listed safety technologies from 01st July, 2019 : -

For M1 category vehicles:

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

For all M and N category vehicles:

- Reverse Parking Alert System
- ·
- ·
- ·
- ·
- iv.    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.     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.     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.     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 from 1 st October, 2023.
- viii. Prescribed the format in which vehicle manufacturers issue the Road Worthiness Certification for registering motor vehicles.
- ix.     Published  the  rules  for  recognition,  regulation,  and  control  of Automated  Testing  Stations  vide  notification  GSR  652  (E)  dt  23 rd September 2021 and its amendment vide GSR 797 (E) dt 31 st  October 2022. 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 25 th  September 2021.
- x.    Published the  Motor Vehicles (Registration and Functions of Vehicle Scrapping  Facility)  Rules,  2021  for  establishment  of  Registered Vehicles Scrapping Facility (RVSF) vide notification  GSR 653 (E) dt 23 rd   September 2021 and its amendment vide GSR 695 (E) dt 13 th September 2022. These rules for RVSF prescribe the procedure for setting up and operation of such facilities.
- xi.     Formulated the Vehicle Scrapping Policy based on incentives/disincentives and for creating an ecosystem to phase out older, unfit polluting vehicles.
- xii. A Scheme to set up one model Inspection & Certification Centre in each  State/UT  with  Central  assistance  for  testing  the  fitness  of vehicles through an automated system.
- (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 th  September, 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 25th 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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