[aerohit]

BBC NEWS | World | South Asia | Death on India's roads

Jun 9

Hello this is brand new report posted on BBC today, with a video.

Check it out.

But dont just check it out, Action on it!

[ravikn]

Good one, I hope things will improve in future!!!!

[diabloo]

We spoke to two lorry drivers who had just attended a road safety lesson.

• One of them hadn't known he was supposed to allow emergency vehicles like ambulances to pass him by;
• the other hadn't known what many of the road signs meant.

In 2006 - the latest year for which figures are available - more than 100,000 people died, and an estimated 2,000,000 were seriously injured.

India loses 3% of its GDP to road crashes every year. Many of the deaths happen in rural areas, and one study found that 70% of families who lose their main wage earner in a traffic accident subsequently fall below the poverty line.

Pity that all these are AVOIDABLE , with better management.

"The children we save from diseases when they are young, we sacrifice at a later date. We need to do something very urgently and very drastically."

[sajands]

Just read the article, "spoke to two lorry drivers who had just attended a road safety lesson. One of them hadn't known he was supposed to allow emergency vehicles like ambulances to pass him by; the other hadn't known what many of the road signs meant"

I hope now they know to give way to emergency vehicles.

Regards,
Sajan

[aaggoswami]

Well most of the road users dont have sense of giving way to emergency vehicles, let alone lorry drivers.

[TOR]

Road safety IMHO should start in the class rooms.There should be an exam on road safety and pupils should pass the exam to be given a pass certificate at the 10th grade.I dont see any other way in pulling this country out of the 'pit' it finds itself in.
Nowadays its repulsive to watch the 'news' unfold on out TV screens.I am a proud Indian but shudder to see the amount of corruption around me.

There is another think, How many of us ever felt 'respect' towards any policemen that you have come across.I look at other countries policemen and wonder why ours are not like that.After a lot i mental debate i feel the 'uniforms' have something to do. Right from the garbage walla to the SP police is dressed in the same 'colonial kakhi'.
Look at a well dressed American/British policeman and however corrupt they are one of the first emotions that strikes you is 'RESPECT'
OT am sure this is but guess this thread is a bit 'broad based'. What do you guys think, 'blue stripped pants and well pressed white shirts?'

[raghu.t.k]

The road rules and etiquettes should be taught in schools, along with the facts, of what happens when we do not follow them. When in London, I had hardly seen the cops enforcing the rules. Though quite a few of the junctions were covered by cctv, the discipline in which they drive is something I really appreciate. That said, these days I find that the honking culture and rash driving has increased on the London roads, compared to a decade ago.

Also parents need to be role models when it comes to following road rules. I have seen many parents dart across the road with their kids, jump signals because there is no cops around, or driving in an unsafe manner.

Along with it there should be a clean-up of the enforcement, the lack of respect does not stem from their uniform, but their behavior of letting off offenders by accepting bribes (that to a pittance in some cases). Who would respect such officers of law enforcement, when they know that they can pay their way out of any situations, with no fear of their license being canceled. If its not money, all you need to mention is either a popular lawyer, Government official, politician, senior police officers, and the list is endless, depending on the rank of officer you are speaking with. As was rightly mentioned, a poorly dressed officer does not command any respect. They need to have pride in the job they do, which should be reflected in the maintenance of their uniforms or the very least their superiors, should make it a practice to check how their units perform. They also need to practice what they preach. I have seen many of the police vehicles flouting all rules, jumping signals, riding without helmets, and occasionally riding/driving dangerously, knowing fully well that they are above the law.

In fact I have seen an instance where a maruti van was trying to keep up to an ambulance, which was rushing its way to the hospital, in a manner which by itself seemed dangerous to both the vehicles as well as other road users.

[suvi]

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

Well most of the road users dont have sense of giving way to emergency vehicles, let alone lorry drivers.

Yesterday i saw the plight of an Ambulance in the busy old madras road near KR Puram. other vehicles either did not or could not give way. Hope the patient could reach hospital in time.

[vvnagan]

Even I saw an ambulance stuck yesterday evening at a signal on super busy Kanakapura road. Our bus driver tried his best to give way but the traffic was so thick that he could move only a few inches. There was a cop at the junction who wasregulating the traffic and helped the ambulance to get away first.

[rahuldeodhar]

Originally Posted by sajands

Just read the article, "spoke to two lorry drivers who had just attended a road safety lesson. One of them hadn't known he was supposed to allow emergency vehicles like ambulances to pass him by; the other hadn't known what many of the road signs meant"

I hope now they know to give way to emergency vehicles.

I think these would be the only two road safety trained drivers.

By the looks of others I dont see anyone trained at all! the other day a skoda superb ran over my foot while I was standing beside a chai stall away from the road. Thankfully nothing happened - so cops wont take his number as well!

[windsurfer]

It is a scourge which claims far more victims than communicable diseases like Aids, TB and malaria combined. And yet far less money is spent on trying to do something about it.

The children we save from diseases when they are young, we sacrifice at a later date. We need to do something very urgently and very drastically.

Our govt. should read this very carefully

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by TOR

'blue stripped pants and well pressed white shirts?'

They tried that in Goa, Wendell Rodricks designed the clothes. White shirt and blue pants. complaints ranged from: White shirt gets dirty quickly due to weather to comments like "You are a policeman, damn i didnt know. Whose clothes are you wearing?". Honest.

[snaronikar]

kuch nahi ho sakta is desh main....unless we have the corrupt politicians and the babus mixing hands together. They are least bothered about the development and these kind of things as it is not their kins who die in these type of accidents. We have been seeing in TV news channels, newspapers etc about the pathetic response of even the general public. An example is that one of the person fell down on Chennai Railway station and nobody cared except to look upon him. This has come in y'days newspaper (TOI). If we get the proper medical first aid, we could atleast save the accident victims most of the times.

[blue_pulsar]

How about teaching the autowallas a lesson or two on road manners and safety. Its either the autowallas or the too-rich-and-influential who create most of the problems on the road. Include three-wheeler goods carriers also in this. How many times don't we see bus overtaking another bus(govt ones) on a narrow road? Why do buses need to overtake on city roads at all?

Unless people respect and appreciate traffic rules from within, no matter of teaching will be effective. How much can a cop do?

[jp1]

In Bangalore, I am yet to see one driver gives way to a pedestrian on a Zebra crossing. Why do we have to blame the lorry drivers. I tried to do it couple of times and only get dirty look from the other road users. My worst worry is that guy behind me may overrun the pedestrian if I stop and give way to the pedestrian and the blame will be on me

I can also see many pedestrians walking on the road instead of the foot path when there is a descent foot path of nearly 5 ft width exist. Especially in the morning hours I can see many of them taking their morning walk on the road. God only can help them from the mad BPO cabbies.

We can also see the foot path is used by the bikers instead of the pedestrian, may be this is a first in India.

Yet to see one traffic signal where people wait for the signal to turn green when there are no cops around.

This is the case with IT/Knowldege/Garden/Science City, so what to expect from other places. We are like this only.