Time is Ripe for Need of Safer Cars in India

Time is Ripe for Need of Safer Cars in India

The reason for accidents on Indian roads is not only due to rash or drunken driving. Many accidents occur due to faulty or limited safety features in the car. Over 13 lakh people have been killed in road accidents in India in the past decade, 1.46 lakh people were killed in 2015 alone. However, this is probably an underestimate, as not all injuries are reported to the police. 

Accidents occur not only due to the increase in the number of vehicles on the road but also due to the lack of safety features in Indian cars which have been criticized as being insufficient and ineffective compared to developed countries. Safety of vehicles has great role in reducing or preventing road accident fatalities.

Car Safety Features

State of Safety in Indian Cars

India is world’s sixth largest Car Market – 2.03 million passenger cars were sold in India as per last year data. Recently when some of the popular cars in India were tested on NCAP standards, 4 out of 5 got zero rating. The most sold cars in India are devoid of basic safety features such as occupant protection in front/lateral collisions; electronic stability control etc.

Safety is an essential requisite for an automobile to be road-worthy for automobiles. Vehicle collisions are the leading cause of injury-related deaths, an estimated total of 1.2 million in 2004, or 25% of the total from all causes. Thus, safety features in cars need to be improved not only to protect the passengers but to completely eliminate road accidents.

Safe Systems Approach

Safe vehicles are an important part of the Safe Systems approach, as they play a critical role both in averting crashes and reducing the likelihood of serious injury in the event of a crash. Policymakers must give more attention to making vehicles and roads safer.  Over the past few decades a combination of regulatory requirements and consumer demand has led to increasingly safe cars in many high-income countries. Many of the features that began as relatively expensive safety “add-ons” in high end vehicles have since become much cheaper and – in some countries – are now mandatory requirements for all vehicles.

Proposed Regulations for Car Safety in India

5 Indian made cars fail crash test.

5 Indian made cars fail crash test

Made in India cars have failed crash tests. Again. In the third round of tests involving popular models sold in India, Global NCAP has crashed the Renault Kwid, Maruti Suzuki Celerio, Maruti Suzuki Eeco, Mahindra Scorpio and Hyundai Eon. All cars have received ZERO stars for safety in the tests.

The simple truth here is that to pass these tests vehicles must carry some basic safety equipment – dual airbags is a mandated requirement. The fact that none of these cars have airbags as standard, means that like in the previous tests, they failed even before they could be crashed. Of course the structural integrity of the car’s body shell is also tested, and here too many performed poorly.

Promoting Car Safety-Guide to Buying a Safer Car

Promoting Car Safety-Guide to Buying a Safer Car

India is World’s sixth largest Car Market and approx 2.03 million passenger cars were sold in India as per last year data.  Approximately 1,374 crashes and 400 deaths take place every day on Indian roads. Safer vehicles can save precious lives and they are one of the pillars of the action plan towards reducing fatalities by fifty percent by 2020.

Buying a new car is a huge investment and to buy a safer car, it perhaps the most important. This booklet contains different safety features related to car purchasing. The booklet contains information on:

  • Primary, Secondary safety features
  • Tops tips to follow when visiting a dealer
  • About Global New Car Assesment Programme (Global NCAP)
  • Child Car Seats
  • Case Studies

In nutshell this booklet is a complete compiled guide for buying a Safer Car.

The Car Safety booklets (English and Hindi) were released at the Cyclothon event organised by Consumer VOICE on the occasion of Road Safety Week on January 7, 2017 at Nehru Park, Neeti Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.

Distinguished guest Shri Satyendar Jain, Hon’ble Transport and Health Minister, Government of  Delhi, Shri Abhay Damle, (IRS)-Joint Secretary, Transport, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, and Senior officers from Delhi Traffic Police and Para-olympian cyclist champion Jagwinder Singh were present on the occasion.

Workshop on Car Safety

Workshop on Car Safety

Consumer VOICE participated in Car Safety Campaigning Workshop at Chennai from 9th-11th Feb 2016  Organised by Consumers International.The main objective of the workshop was to promote consumer awareness on car safety issues along with advocacy for safety aspects in passenger cars with policy makers.

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