Every year, the number of people killed in India as a result of traffic accidents increases. With the number of deaths approaching unprecedented heights, India's government has enacted legislation and levied fines to halt the trend. However, this has done nothing to reduce the number of people killed in car crashes. As a result, the government has turned to cutting-edge technology to figure out why there are so many casualties in the world. However, the traffic laws set by our government are much stricter than the other countries in the world but the gap lies that they aren’t implemented seriously.
A Detailed Statistics of the People Killed in Gujarat from 2014-18
As per the statistics details collected from “statista.com”, talking about the Indian state of Gujarat, almost 8,000 people were killed in road crashes in 2018. Every year, traffic inconsistencies are a significant cause of death, accident, and property harm. Vehicle over speeding was the leading cause of road crash fatalities in 2018. The number of road crash deaths in the south Asian nation ranked first out of 200 countries published in World Road Statistics that year.
According to the statistical figures, in 2014, about 7.96 thousand people were killed due to road accidents, the same things increased in 2015 when the number rose to a serious 8.12 thousand. The death toll due to severe road accidents took a serious turn when the number drastically increased to 8.14 thousand in 2016 and since then 2017, 2018 saw the death tolls at 7.29 thousand and 8 thousand respectively.
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Rules and Regulations as per the Government
The Gujarat government has issued a new notification this year regarding the speed limits for both two wheeler and four wheelers. As per the recent updates in the city, the Ahmedabad Police Commissioner has issued a notification regarding speed limit for two-wheelers and four-wheelers.
According to the announcement, two-wheeler drivers will have to drive at a maximum speed of 60 kmph and four-wheelers at 40 kmph. If the speed is too high, the traffic police will register a case of violation of the declaration and take legal action and impose heavy fines.
Have a Quick Look at the Speed Limits
Express Highway 120km/hr
National Highway 100 km/hr
State Highway 80km/hr
Corporation areas 65km/hr
Rural roads 50km/hr
(Source: https://english.gujaratexclusive.in/)
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Most Common Reasons for Accidents in the Country
As per an article published in a popular newspaper, “The Economic Times”, a World Bank report says that India stands at the top of the list with around 11 percent of the total deaths globally in road accidents. The report quotes:
“India tops the world in road crash deaths and injuries. It has 1 percent of the world's vehicles but accounts for 11 percent of all road crash deaths, witnessing 53 road crashes every hour; killing 1 person every 4 minutes”
Let’s look at the major reasons for road accidents in India:
Over Speeding the Limit
One of the major reasons for accidental cases in the country is rising due to the overspeeding of the designated limit. Many drivers surpass the speed limit in places where doing so is risky. It's critical to keep a safe distance between your car and the vehicle in front of you so that you have enough time and room to apply the brakes if necessary. Always remember that getting to your destination several minutes faster by overspeeding is never necessary than putting your whole life in danger.
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Drink and Drive
The government has made this clear a long time ago that any individual driving cannot mix drink with driving. Still, a lot of people are not following the current rules and are facing the repercussions. Drunk driving is a serious offense, and any driver caught with more than 30 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of blood will be under the influence of alcohol and guilty of drunk driving, according to court laws. If anyone is found driving while inebriated, the offender faces a maximum sentence of two years in jail or a fine of Rs.3000.
Driving while inebriated puts not only the driver's life in danger but also the lives of those in other cars on the road.
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Disobeying the Traffic Rules
This might sound like a minor thing but would create a lot of havoc if you are not following the rules and regulations as set by the government. For example, some vehicles, for example, change lanes without sending a proper signal or checking in the rear mirror. Another explanation for traffic accidents in India is a driver's lack of knowledge of the road signs, as well as speeding past a red light. Many nighttime injuries arise as a result of riders forgetting to turn on their lights properly while traveling. It is important to obey traffic signals to prevent collisions.
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Using Gadgets while Driving
A driver’s complete focus must be on the road and the way they are handling the vehicle steering system. One should avoid engaging in their gadgets such as mobile phones, laptops, iPads, iPods and other electronic devices that could hamper their concentration. Multitasking while driving, such as talking on the phone or listening to music with earphones, may result in road crashes because the driver's attention is not due immediately on the road.
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Road Conditions
As we are all well aware of the conditions of the roads in India, and Ahmedabad is no different. Given the country's extensive network of highways, the bulk of them have holes in the road, lack road signs, or have been under construction for a long time. Any of these factors contribute to traffic collisions. Driving on such roads necessitates a special talent that many drivers lack, which often results in terrible effects.
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The Situation of Your Vehicle
Another important factor that contributes to serious road accidents in the country might be the state of your vehicle that you are driving. Many cars in India are deemed unfit for use on Indian highways. For example, a vehicle may be driving on the road without proper tires, or it may be overburdened or unrepaired. Accidents in the country may be caused by a split or engine breakdown, a bursting tire, and so on.
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Wrapping Up
Road traffic accidents and deaths place a huge financial strain on people, forcing the non-poor families into debts and the already poor into further debt. Hence stay safe and drive cautiously as your single mistake can cost the lives of several people including yourself.