Even though India has a rich culture and booming economy, it surely has the most questionable road safety record across the globe. Year after year, the number of people killed and crippled due to road accidents has reached thousands. The statistics beg the question: why does India top the list for the largest number of accidents, and more importantly, how to avoid road accidents? 

The blog will try to explain the root causes of the problem and discuss some of the effective ways through which road accidents can be avoided to make the roads safer for everybody.

Grim Reality: How So Many Road Accidents Take Place in India

The Indian road network is among the biggest in the world, extending to over 5.5 million kilometers. Against this background of what already forms a superlatively large network, the country suffers from a severe onslaught on its road safety. According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, more than 150,000 people die in road accidents every year in India, with several million left with life-changing injuries. These staggering numbers beg for understanding the ‘whys’ behind them to find the solutions.

Too many roads are heavily crowded with a ‘traffic density’

The volume of traffic is the fundamental reason behind road accidents in India. With a population of over 1.4 billion, the vehicle population in India is increasing on a geometric scale. This, in turn, creates high traffic density which, in most cases in urban areas, leaves no scope for proper driving conditions. Traffic jams in such chaotic situations sow the seeds of accidents.

Congestion is a way of life on big city roads—Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, et al. The carriage width of the roads is so cramped that a driver does not have enough space between them, and within this carriage width, stop-and-go traffic continuously raises the risk of nose-tail collisions.

Bad Road Conditions

While India has attained great success in expanding its road network, the quality of infrastructure is indeed a huge concern. Badly maintained roads, poorly demarcated signals, improper lighting, and potholes are general complaints commonly existing in the country and contributing to making the Indian roads unsafe more or less. Most of the roads in rural areas are narrow and badly built, so there is a threat when driving.  

The lack of proper road infrastructure increases the chance of accidents, and the severity of the accident is maximized. For example, the improper lighting of the roads at night causes a reduction in the visibility of the pedestrians or any other obstructions on the road that results in fatal accidents.

Lack of Awareness and Education

Yet another major reason behind the bad record of India in road safety is ignorance or lack of education for safe roads. In rural areas, the vast majority of people never had formal driver education. Therefore, drivers might fail to understand proper traffic rules or the importance of safe driving by always wearing seat belts and observing the speed limits.

In addition, shockingly usual have become the reckless behaviors of overspeeding, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and riding without helmets. Such behaviors raise the chances of an accident grossly and increase killings on the road.

Negligence and Reckless Driving

Negligence and reckless driving are rampant throughout Indian roads. Most drivers do not bother about traffic signals or skip the red light; many overtake in dangerous conditions. The other significant reason behind road accidents is the practice of speaking on mobiles while driving. Even though they are conscious, most of the drivers continue to practice these risky habits which will mostly end up in calamitous accidents sooner, if not later.

Ineffective Traffic Law Enforcement

Despite India having very exhaustive traffic laws, their enforcement is very irregular and even lax. Most drivers believe they can very conveniently violate traffic rules without incurring strict penalties. The culture of non-compliance has much to do with the outrageous number of road accidents. For instance, though there are provisions for helmets for two-wheeler riders and seat belts for car occupants, such safety measures are ignored, which adds to the toll of accidents.

Conclusion

The road accident statistics in India present a scenario where action is needed most. By getting to the roots of accidents and taking effective measures how to avoid road accidents, we would make our roads safer for all of us to drive on. Whether through up-gradation of infrastructure, enforcement of traffic laws, or even educating drivers about how not to have an accident on the road, every measure taken gets us closer to a goal: reduced road accidents and saved lives.

Want to know how to take the next step in road safety? Reach out to Novus HiTech today and find out exactly how our cutting-edge solutions can contribute to enhancing road safety and reducing accidents. Together, we will make the roads a safer place for one and all.