Global Road Safety Initiative | Consumer Voice

On children’s day Citizens Awareness Group presses upon passing Motors Vehicle Bill-2017

by admin | Nov 15, 2017 | Global Road Safety Initiative

On children’s day Citizens Awareness Group presses upon passing Motors Vehicle Bill-2017

On the occasion of Children’s Day, social organisation, Citizens Awareness Group, has urged the central government to save the precious lives of children on roads by passing the Motors Vehicles Bill 2017, in the upcoming winter session in Parliament. While sharing some of the facts, Chairman of the Citizens Awareness Group, Surinder Verma, said, “In 2016, more than 10,000 Children died in road accidents in India. According to the World Health Organization, more than 12 lakh people die each year, and up to 5 crore are injured, on the world’s roads. Road traffic injuries and deaths have a significant impact on individuals under the age of 18 who account for more than 186,000 road traffic deaths annually. More than 220 children (5-14 years) all over the world meet a deadly end because of road accidents”.

Adding to it he said, “Children are the future of nation and their safety and protection should be the priority. Road crashes are impacting children directly including their ability to attend the school. One reason that children are more severely impacted by road traffic crashes is their limited physical, cognitive and social development which makes them more vulnerable than adults to serious injury or death as a result of road crashes”.

As one of the signatories of the Sustainable Development Goals, India has the responsibility to enact appropriate legislation to achieve this goal, especially when it comes to the safety of India’s children on the roads. The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2017 has already been cleared by Lok Sabha in last session and is due for passage by the Rajya Sabha.

“If this bill is further deferred, we will be putting at risk precious lives of citizens before the next session of the Parliament can adopt it. These casualties may include thousands of innocent children and youth into their productive years of life”. The passage of Bill is crucial in the upcoming winter session.” said Name, Designation Organization said Surinder Verma.

Organization has been working on the road safety from long and submitted various representation to Central and State government for bringing strong law on road safety besides organising various educational activities.

10 Things To Do When You See a Victim of Road Accident

by admin | Nov 14, 2017 | Global Road Safety Initiative

10 Things To Do When You See a Victim of Road Accident

A total of 4,80,652 people have been injured in road accidents in 2016 out of which 1,50,785 precious lives have been lost as per the latest MORTH (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways) data. However, many of these lives could have been saved if they had received timely intervention. But due to the apathy of people many simply pass by without helping. Some attribute this to their hesitation and fear of having to deal with concerned authorities namely the police while others are simply reluctant.

So, this year, on the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDR), on 19th November, let’s promise ourselves to be responsible citizens and help road accident victims.

The theme of this year’s event is “2020 Target: Reduce Road Fatalities and Serious Injuries by 50%” and one of the ways in which it can be done is by helping road accident victims. Given the focus on the 2020 target, this year’s commemoration also provides an opportunity to highlight India’s commitment to meet the Sustainable Development Goal target 3.6, which calls for a halving of road traffic deaths and injuries.

Here are a few important things that you can do as a responsible citizen to save a precious life before the arrival of the ambulance:

1. Remain Calm – Do not panic. It is important for you and the victim to remain calm as it will help you take rational decisions. Do not allow any person at the scene, be it the victim or bystander to panic.

2. Assess the Accident Spot – Move closer to the accident area, to understand if the accident involves only a single person or there are more. Be careful and check for leaking CNG and petrol pipes, live wires or broken glass.

3. Call the Emergency Services – Dial 102 for ambulance and 100 for police. Give the exact location of the accident, so that they do not waste time in reaching the accident spot.

4. Stop Cars and Ask For Help – If there aren’t too many people on the road, try and stop other cars or bikes for help. Request other bystanders to help you.

5. Call Family and Friends – Check the last dialed number from the victim’s mobile or check for frequently called numbers or names like Mom, Dad, Hubby, Wife etc.

6. Provide First Aid – If you know or are trained to give CPR (Chest pressure for heart rate / Mouth to Mouth Oxygen transfer) do it if the victim is unconscious. If it involved a car accident, search for a first aid kit inside car or take help from the bystanders.

7. Check for Pulse – Try and assess the condition of the victim. If the victim is unconscious and not responding, then you might have to immediately take the victim to the nearest hospital without waiting for the ambulance. Remember to take care of the neck and head portion. Lesser movements and road jerks will help if you have given a little head and neck support to the victim’s body. However, avoid moving the victim, unless absolutely necessary or you are trained in it as you might be hurting the victim and causing further damage.

8. Help Keep the Traffic Moving – Make space for ambulance to come, so keep the traffic moving. Some curious people simply slow down their vehicles to check out an accident. Just let them know it is nothing serious. You should also warn the oncoming traffic and let drivers know that there is an accident and they need to avoid the area.

9. Comfort the Victim – The accident victim is scared and even hurt. Talk to the victim if he or she is conscious with comforting and encouraging words like ‘ambulance is on the way’ and ‘nothing serious has happened.’

10. Accompany the Victim – Do accompany the victim to the hospital till the arrival of the family members and provide all the support to the police to help them register a case.

So on this World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, let’s take a pledge to help others today as tomorrow it might be you!

How Safe Are Our Roads for Children?

by admin | Nov 9, 2017 | Global Road Safety Initiative

How Safe Are Our Roads for Children?

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) of 1989 recognizes that “every child has the inherent right to life” but sadly their lives are being snatched by the cruel hands of God at a very early age and one of the main reasons being that of road traffic deaths. Children account for more than 186,000 annual road traffic deaths globally. More than 220 children (5-14 years) all over the world meet a deadly end because of road accidents. In India the scene is equally dismal. In 2016, more than 10,000 children died in road accidents according to the latest MORTH report.

Some of the ways in which we can reduce road traffic deaths especially among children are by bringing in effective road safety laws and stricter enforcement of these laws. The international best practices on road safety should also be adopted in India to ensure a safe life for all children. These include:Indian road safety record is one of the worst in the world and children are the worst affected. They are indirectly affected due to negligent driving, rash driving, and drunken driving. Another major cause for road accidents among children is the casual attitude of the adults who do not ensure seat belts or helmets for children.

Speed Management

Setting appropriate speed limits especially when carrying school children in vans should be immediately implemented. As per the Global Status Report on Road Safety, World Health Organization, 2015, an adult pedestrian, the risk of dying if struck by a car travelling at less than 50km/h is below 20%. The chances of accident increases substantially if the speed of the vehicle increases too.

Seat Belts

Even parents forget to ensure this rule of making children compulsorily wear seat belts. In India it is not common for children or adults to wear seat belts if they are occupying the back seat. Did you know that correctly wearing a seat-belt reduces the risk of a fatal injury by up to 50%for front seat occupants and by up to 75% for rear seat occupants?

Child Restraints

If a child wears appropriate restraint as per their size and weight, it will significantly reduce accidents.

Let’s make India a better and safer place for all our children and surely one of the best ways of doing so is making our roads child safe.

To know more about Consumer Voice’s Road Safety Initiative, click here

Press Release on Road Safety Urging the Government to Pass MVA Bill 2017

by admin | Oct 4, 2017 | Global Road Safety Initiative

Press Release on Road Safety Urging the Government to Pass MVA Bill 2017

Consumer VOICE, working for Road Safety Initiative to benefit all the citizens of India urges to the Prime Minister to pass the Motor Vehicles Amendment bill 2017 in upcoming winter session of parliament. The following press release was sent to the media.

Date: 4th October 2017

Consumer Voice Urges The Prime Minister To Pass Motor Vehicles Bill 2017 In Upcoming Winter Session Of Parliament

India Loses 413 Lives in Road Accidents Every Day in the Absence Of A Strong Road Safety Law

New Delhi: Consumer VOICE submitted memorandum to the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi , urging to pass Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill 2017 in the upcoming winter session of Parliament and save 413 lives which are lost in road accidents every day. Once the bill is cleared from the Rajya Sabha, it will ensure the formation of a new stricter law which will help in saving precious human lives lost in road accidents every year.

In the press interaction meet organised on 4th October at Press Club of India,New Delhi Mr. Ashim Sanyal ,Chief Operating Officer ,Consumer VOICE said that the passage of Bill is crucial in the upcoming winter session .The provisions of proposed bill has very important elements for saving lives on roads and therefore parties across political lines should ensure its passage during the winter session”.

Mr.Dave Cliff, Chief Executive Officer, Global Road Safety Partnership and global road safety expert shared his view point on global road safety scenario and success stories on how countries have put stricter laws in reducing the road fatalities. He emphasised that India can achieve its goal of reducing fatalities by 50% by the year 2020 through passage of MVA Bill 2017 and its implementation by state governments.

As per the annual publication ‘Road Accidents in India-2016’ a report released by Ministry for Road Transport and Highways on Sept. 06, 2017 total 4,80,652 road accidents, 1,50,785, road traffic deaths took place and 4,94,624 persons were injured in India in year 2016. Everyday-1,317 Accidents take place and 413 Persons killed on Indian Roads.

The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2017 is already cleared by Lok Sabha in last session and is due for passage by the Rajya Sabha.

Road Accidents Decrease While Fatalities Increase in 2016

by admin | Sep 7, 2017 | Global Road Safety Initiative

Road Accidents Decrease While Fatalities Increase in 2016

In the ‘Road Accidents in India-2016’ report which was released recently by the Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shipping, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Shri Nitin Gadkari gives us some interesting details. Road accidents in the country have decreased by around 4.1% during 2016, with the year seeing 4,80,652 road accidents as against 5,01,423 in 2015. However fatalities resulting from these accidents have risen by about 3.2% during the same period. Nearly 1,50,785 persons were killed in 2016 as against 1,46,133 in 2015.

Age Profile of Road Accident Victims for 2016

18 – 35 years accounted for 46.3 per cent
18-45 accounted for a share of 68.6%
18-60 accounted for a share of 83.3 per cent

Some states like Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Telangana have an alarming fatality record. 13 Almost 13 states accounted for 86 per cent of the total road accidents in the country.

(Source: http://pib.nic.in/)

Shri Gadkari also gave us some news to cheer for. He informed that the positive trend of 2016 is further bolstered by the accident figures for the first half of 2017, where there has been a 3 % reduction in road accidents between January to July 2017, along with a 4.75 % reduction in road accident fatalities. Only states like Assam, Bihar, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh have witnessed an increase in road accident fatalities between 2-8 % during this period.

For full report, click here

Consumer Conversation Series – Road Safety Menace: Can the New Bill Address These Issues 2017

by admin | Apr 20, 2017 | Global Road Safety Initiative

Consumer Conversation Series- Road Safety Menace: Can the New Bill Address These Issues 2017

On 20^th of April, 2017, Consumer Voice organised its third workshop of Consumer Conversation Series on the Topic of “Road Safety Menace: Can the new bill address these issues.” Held at Gulmohar Hall, India Habitat Centre, Delhi, this is part of the initiative undertaken by Consumer Voice to educate and guide consumers on various issues.

The session began at 6:30 PM with tea and networking, followed by the opening address and introduction by Mr.Ashim Sanyal, COO, and Consumer VOICE. He also presented video on the rash driving on our Indian roads.

Thereafter, the panelists Mr.Nalin Sinha, Global Health Advocacy Incubator, Mr.Ravi Prasad, Chief Engineer of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and Mr.Saji Cherian, Director Operations of Save Life Foundation addressed the audience and also shared their specific presentations with statistics, facts and figures.

Mr Nalin Sinha gave us some startling facts for us to ponder upon. Over 3400 people die on world’s roads everyday and millions of people are injured or disabled every year. Mr Ravi Prasad highlighted the importance of integrating the 4 Es for effective road safety measures which included Engineering (Roads), Engineering (Vehicles), Enforcement, Education and Emergency while Shaji Cherian spoke about the importance of good Samaritan Laws as 50% people and children die on the roads as they are not taken to the hospital on time.

The conversation series witnessed participants from various walks of life including students, professionals, and representatives of academic institutions, consumers, road safety activists, and retired officials from Indian Air force.

Lastly, the session ended with Note of thanks to panelists and audience. A comprehensive question answer session brought an end to the interesting Conversation Series. Thereby, the panelists were felicitated by Mr.Anand Pandeya, Director- Outreach, Consumer VOICE. A copy of Road Safety Booklet was also distributed to the audience for more information.