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Old 29th September 2009, 20:22   #1
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India to use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube to reduce fatal accidents

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and International Road Federation (IRF) are planning to use social networking websites like Facebook, micro-blogging site Twitter and video sharing site YouTube to spread awareness about road safety and help reduce fatal accidents by 50 per cent in the next three years.

Recently, the ministry and IRF launched a national campaign ‘Reduction of Road Fatalities’ for reducing road accidents by 50 per cent in India by 2012. According to a report on road safety by World Health Organization (WHO), India tops the global list of deaths in road accidents with 125,000 fatalities and at least 2.2 million serious injuries each year. India accounts for 10 per cent of global road accident deaths.

India to use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube to reduce fatal accidents | Alootechie
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Old 29th September 2009, 20:24   #2
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But Indian will NOT use seatbelts, helmets to save their own lives.
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Old 29th September 2009, 20:36   #3
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If they can get people to stop crossing the damn road anywhere and everywhere, a good number of those accidents would be averted. Drunk driving, too.
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Old 29th September 2009, 20:39   #4
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Dont they see the point? The majority of people responsible for creating accidents are not the ones who have access to facebook, twitter and youtube! Illiterate villagers who saunter across expressways, overloaded MUVs, drunk truck drivers and the like have no access to a computer, leave alone even understanding the concept of social networking!

A totally farcical step, more a crowd pleaser than of any real benefit.
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Old 29th September 2009, 20:56   #5
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its just an eye wash to show the public & WEST - Beautiful India, !ncredible India.
After so much of cry they have implemented compulsory helmet for driver in few cities and what about the pillion passenger. Govt. thinks thats called safety.
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Old 29th September 2009, 22:06   #6
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I must say though, Mumbai police have taken the seatbelt thing very seriously indeed, and deserve credit for it. A couple of years back, I remember when I was just looking around on the road one day and was amazed to find the number of people who were actually wearing seatbelts while driving. Easily 99%. IMO, progress is progress, it's way beter than about five years back when seatbelts were literally provided in cars for timepass and less than 1% actually used them.
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Old 29th September 2009, 22:38   #7
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Another joke. Nothing can reduce accidents in India, its matter of one thing called Self Discipline. This is one thing that we are severely lacking in, and if we dont improve, number of accidents will go on increasing.
Why cant India talk about good efficient, safe, secure public transport. I think A'bad's BRTS ( Bus Rapid Transit System ) is good example, it can really help.

I think we are not able to focus on the core problem. Even proper implementation of current rules can help. We must direct resources in properly implementing the current rules rather than doing these facebook activities.

How many road uses have access to even internet. Forget that, even the internet in India is not that good.
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Old 29th September 2009, 22:54   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aaggoswami View Post
How many road uses have access to even internet. Forget that, even the internet in India is not that good.
Agree with most of what you've said, but with regard to this point, I suppose the young, brash drivers and the 30-somethings could effectively be reached via the internet medium, as well as those who aren't yet legal users. An attempt is better than letting things roll the way they're going right now.
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Old 29th September 2009, 22:56   #9
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Anything is better than nothing, although predatorwheelz makes an overwhelming point which, I believe, is well supported by the number of broadband subscribers in the country.

I mentioned in another thread, about a specific accident, that I believe the government should commit to a long-term prime-time TV advertising campaign. Let people get road safety with their favourite serials and films.

I also believe that The media has a big responsibility to show general library pics of bikes not overloaded, riders all wearing helmets, drivers wearing belts. "jolly" pictures of two girls on a scooter, no helmets, should be deprecated.

Films are censored for sex and religion --- why not road safety?

The marketing guys do know how to change people's behaviour. Lets use that skill for good, not just for soap.

Sorry for essentially repeating a post, but that event-specific thread will disappear.

Anyway, somthing tells me I might be saying all this a few times...
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Old 29th September 2009, 22:59   #10
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The only way to prevent accidents majorly would be to fine the villagers driving on the wrong side. No Wait, this would only result in more pocket filling gor our very honest cops.

Well, I'd say the one way to prevent road accidents is to severly start challaning people who break rules. Wrong side driving, specially trucks and tractors, illegally parking on highays. Auto's which are a nuisance should be tackled with severely.

People who have access to the internet are already educated more or less. So doing it this way will only help in a very small way.
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Old 29th September 2009, 23:31   #11
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It has taken more than 60 years for our national thinking & behaviour to deteriorate to a point where no body bothers about law, in-fact every body is a law unto himself. People lack common sense and do not know what is right and what is wrong. Police and RTO's are the biggest culprits by allowing all kind of jokers and vehicles on the road. Nobody has the patience of waiting for 30 seconds as everybody is a VVVVIP and strictly follows ME-FIRST policy. Even a chota mota babu or a municipal neta will install a lal or neeli batti on his M800 and will expect precedence over even the fire brigade.

We observe complete democracy on the road where body is free to do any thing he likes, rules be damned.

It will take ages to set right the things and it needs strict political determination with a very big stick. Sadly in our democracy this will never happen, as people will react violently if they are strictly penalised and no neta has the guts to antagonise voters.

Last edited by akj53 : 29th September 2009 at 23:32.
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Old 30th September 2009, 00:05   #12
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Another factor - The ease with which one can get a licence.
Here's Jeremy Clarkson's Indian Driver's Test -
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Old 30th September 2009, 09:30   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by predatorwheelz View Post
Dont they see the point? The majority of people responsible for creating accidents are not the ones who have access to facebook, twitter and Youtube! Illiterate villagers who saunter across expressways, overloaded MUVs, drunk truck drivers and the like have no access to a computer, leave alone even understanding the concept of social networking!

A totally farcical step, more a crowd pleaser than of any real benefit.
True, if they really want get across this message to people, then it can be done only by using traditional media (TV, Radio and print).

They can get some film personalities to star in these messages, it will probably have a better reach.
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Old 30th September 2009, 09:53   #14
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Somethings better than nothing.

Fines are the only thing that works, fines would have already done the trip in India but for the corrupt police officers.

The Police should be more stringent about fines and carry recept books for the fines they collect (not requiring leaving of the license with the guys due to absence of fine receipt book so that they can instead be bribed.)

Helmets and Seatbelts should be enforced first.

People crossing streets at wrong places should also be fined.
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Old 30th September 2009, 11:52   #15
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In Australia [and other developed nations], I observed that most of the people are disciplined and law-abiding. They wear seat belts in case of cars, helmets in case of two wheelers/bicycles, follow the speed limits/traffic rules/signals [even at midnight], give priority for pedestrians, give right of way for vehicle coming from the right, do not honk their horns normally, etc. Here in Bangalore, if I insist on my co-passenger to wear seat belts, they take it as joke. I get varying responses starting from 'in city, it is not required..' to 'It is only a short distance..so why should we wear seat belts?'. We blindly ape westerners in many things. But, why do not we ape them in good things too? If we practise self discipline, we can avoid many accidents and save many more precious human lives.
 
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