[GTO]

The Maharashtra Highway Safety Patrol has concluded a study that lasted the entire of Y2007, and has completely nullified some accident-related myths. For instance:

• Foggy conditions actually reduce the rate of accidents, since drivers are more cautious in their approach.
  
• A whopping 60% of accidents, and 64% of fatalities occur due to overspeeding.
  
• In comparion, drunk driving accounts for only 5% of accidents.
  
• Overloaded / overcrowded vehicles are second on the cause of fatality.
  
• Third on the list is the sheer lack of driving skill. However, this causes a lesser (relatively) number of deaths, presumably due to the lower speeds maintained by unskilled drivers.
  
• Rural areas account for only 36% of accidents, but a whopping 64% of deaths. This is obviously due to dismal levels of medical infrastructure.
  
• The Evening hours 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. are risky due to twilight conditions.

Get this, about 1,000 Indians die of AIDS each year compared to a whopping 90,000+ in road accidents!

Drive safe, guys. Especially on the highway.

Source : Mumbai Mirror

[ajmat]

I would have thought that speeding and lack of skills are inter-related

[Sahil]

The overcrowding figures should go down once the Nano is launched
Glad to see the drunken driving figures come down.

[tsk1979]

So if an overspeeding car hits a truck which has no tail lights, what is the cause of the accident? Overspeeding or the invisible truck?

[diabloo]

Over-speeding is hugely ambiguous term.

On some highways, the speed limit is 45Kmph. So does doing 50Kmph means over-speeding?

Originally Posted by GTO

• A whopping 60% of accidents, and 64% of fatalities occur due to overspeeding.

[vabs78]

What about inadequate road infrastructure?
If evaluated, I think this will be at the top of the list.

[MalluDude]

Agree with the findings of the study.
But have they taken into consideration the following facts? I've found them to be a big factor in Kerala roads, and wouldn't be much different in other states.

(1) Unmarked, unlit, potholed roads.
(2) Unscientifically built speed-breakers.
(3) Bus-halts right in the middle of busy roads.
(4) State cars flouting all known traffic rules.
(5) Ramshackle ST buses with bits and pieces falling off.
(6) Malfunctioning traffic signals.
(7) Un-announced and unmarked impromtu repair works on busy roads, causing death-trap-like potholes.

[BlackPearl]

The time mentioned in the last point is really very risky on the highway, the headlights are almost of no use and the highways are flocked by villagers returning from work with no road sense

[iraghava]

What about broken down heavy vehicles standing in the middle of the road with a tree branch hanging from their side to show that the vehicle's broken down?

If a car is doing 80-100 kmph on a 4-lane highway & while taking a curve has an accident with the aforesaid truck, who is to blame? The moronic truck driver for parking his vehicle wherever he likes or the car driver maintaining his pace not anticipating someone to park their vehicle in the middle of the road?

And what about the jaywalkers, cyclists, animal driven vehicles, tractor trollies, jugaads all over the country who choose to travel in any lane whether on the right side or on the wrong side without caring a hoot for their own & other's safety? Who's to blame for that? Excess Speed? Oh come on!

This study is also using the age old trick used by Law enforcement agencies in the developed countries. Instead of making an effort to improve driver training & skill, blame it on speed. This way you can not only find an easy way out of your responsibilities but also earn revenue by fining people despite having fewer number of policemen on the ground. After all inspecting vehicles to judge whether they are road-worthy or not or catching drunk drivers demands personnel on the ground which is expensive whereas speeders can be caught by cameras which are cheaper & more effective!

[vikrantw1]

Lies , Damned Lies and Statistics

How did they collect this data - on speeding - you were obviously basing this on eyewitness accounts - and what do these fatalities comprise - of people killed in vehicle to vehicle collisions - or do they comprise - villagers/cyclists/rajdoot motorcycle doodhwalas happily treating the highway as an extended courtyard mowed down by vehicles moving on legitimate speeds on the highways - in which case the typical breast beating hysterical accounts of other villagers/ near relatives as to the "high speed" - arre woh to aandhi ke tarah aaya aur chore ko kuchal gaya - have to be taken with dollops of salt.
And what about the head on collisions when these morons in their rush to overtake on 2 lane roads - drive onto your side and badoom ! - that is lack of driving sense - or a death wish and not speeding
I think they excluded the primary cause of the accidents - the loose nut behind the wheel - not lack of skills but sense.

[manziee_crusier]

People not following rules should be 1 in the list.Over taking from left and right specially in curves.People jumping from side lines with out noticing main stream.

Drving as if world is going to end.It is not speed drving but driving with out yielding.

This is a non ending saga.May be survey should bring out points which will solve the problem.Cars are meant for speed drving.Yeah may not be at 150 kmph.This rubbish survey fails to extract the essense.
This survey means drink and drive at 40 kmpl (just kidding)

[visu03]

No mention of people obtaining driving licenses with out attending any tests (theory & practical)

No mention of old unfit vehicles

No mention of bullock carts & other very slow moving traffic

I dont trust this survey.

[pjbiju]

Originally Posted by iraghava

What about broken down heavy vehicles standing in the middle of the road with a tree branch hanging from their side to show that the vehicle's broken down?

If a car is doing 80-100 kmph on a 4-lane highway & while taking a curve has an accident with the aforesaid truck, who is to blame? The moronic truck driver for parking his vehicle wherever he likes or the car driver maintaining his pace not anticipating someone to park their vehicle in the middle of the road?

And what about the jaywalkers, cyclists, animal driven vehicles, tractor trollies, jugaads all over the country who choose to travel in any lane whether on the right side or on the wrong side without caring a hoot for their own & other's safety? Who's to blame for that? Excess Speed? Oh come on!

I think all these are part and parcel of India's road life. I cannot see in the foreseeable future any drastic change in these things. We need to factor in these things and drive more carefully and be alert while driving. We can only contribute by abiding by the rules and if possible by educating others. Government has a huge task before them to bring discipline into driving. It should start at the RTOs.

[phamilyman]

hey hey, everyone, give smaller vehicles the right of way!! *wink wink*

gd saab, listening

[shivapsreddy]

First govt should improve the roads and mark the turns and other signals properly at each and every place. When repairing the roads there are no rules followed. There should be clear marking, this can be done by govt by forcing the contractors for doing these things. Govt collects lot of tax from the vehicle owners and do very little to the development of the roads. There should not be intersecting roads on the highways. There should be underpasses or flyovers if two roads are intersecting at least on national highways. The accidents on the national highways are fatal always. Each vehicle(including bullock cots) should have some reflectors at the rear. The trucks and other heavy vehicles should be properly checked by RTO poeple before issuing the fitness certificates.
There should be drastic changes in the way of issuing driving licences. Govt or other organisations should create good awareness of the rules and why the rules are like that what will be the impacts of breaking the rules. The rule breaker should be punished heavily. There are lot of things that can be done to improve.