• Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari has asked state governments to accord top priority to road safety. He also asked the state governments to motivate people for safer movement on road, with the involvement of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), using social media on a major basis for awareness and education about road safety measures.

• He was addressing the 19th meeting of the National Road Safety Council (NRSC) on January 19.

National Road Safety Council

• National Road Safety Council (NRSC) is the apex body for road safety established under Section 215 of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. NRSC was constituted by the ministry of road transport & highways with a gazette notification on August 31, 2015. 

• Its mandate is to advise on matters pertaining to the planning and coordination of policies and standards of safety in the road transport sector. It also advises on formulating and recommending a road safety programme for implementation by the states’ road safety organisations, among others. 

• The ministry has also requested all states/UTs for setting up of State Road Safety Council and District Road Safety Committees, and to hold their meetings regularly.

National Road Safety Policy

• Road safety is a complex issue of concern, considering its magnitude and gravity and the negative impacts on the economy, public health and the general welfare of the people, particularly those with low income. With rising motorisation at 10 per cent compound growth every year and expanding road network, travel risks and traffic exposure grow at a much faster rate.

• Today, road traffic injuries are one of the leading causes of deaths, disabilities and hospitalisations, with severe socioeconomic costs, across the world.

• Around 1.5 lakh persons die on road every year in India in road accidents.

• The ministry has taken several steps to improve the road safety scenario in the county.

• In 2005, the government constituted a committee under the chairmanship of former secretary S. Sundar to deliberate and make recommendations on creation of a dedicated body on road safety and traffic management. The committee was also subsequently requested to finalise a draft National Road Safety Policy for consideration of the government. The committee while submitting its report in February, 2007 recommended a draft National Road Safety Policy. Based on the recommendations of the Sundar Committee, the Union Cabinet approved National Road Safety Policy on March 15, 2010.

• This policy outlines various policy measures such as promoting awareness, establishing road safety information database, encouraging safer road infrastructure including application of intelligent transport, enforcement of safety laws, etc.

• The important schemes on road safety operated by the ministry include publicity measures and awareness campaigns on road safety, scheme for setting up institutes for driving training, refresher training of drivers in unorganised sector and human resource development, National Highway  Accident Relief Service Scheme (NHARSS) and setting up of inspection and certification centres.

Key suggestions by Gadkari:

• The meeting of NRSC takes place even as the country is marking its first-ever road safety month, which began on January 18.

• Gadkari hoped that the road accidents and resultant deaths in the country will be reduced by 50 per cent before 2025.

• Gadkari gave the example of Sweden where zero tolerance towards road accident reduction is adopted.

• He suggested that there should be a three-day mandatory training of engineers of the ministry, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Public Works Department (PWD) and various agencies related to road construction for awareness about road safety.

• Pointing out that there is a committee of MPs related to road safety, he requested all the MLAs to also focus on the issue of accident reduction in their constituencies.

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