Recently, the Indian Minister of Road Transport & Highways took part in the 3rd Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety held in Stockholm, Sweden. This event was organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with the World Bank, alongside minister-led delegations from over 80 nations.
Conference Theme and Objectives
The conference theme was ‘Achieving Global Goals 2030.’ The objective of this event was to bring global attention to road safety and reestablish international commitment towards safer roads. It was also designed to propose strategies for accelerated actions that would ensure the saving of lives.
Highlights of the Conference
An important highlight of the conference was the adoption of the “Stockholm Declaration” which requests a new global target for road safety for 2030 and presents innovative solutions to save lives on worldwide roads. Furthermore, it encouraged sharing successes and lessons gained from implementing the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011–2020. During this event, India pledged its commitment to the United Nations goal under the UN Decade of Action, aiming to significantly decrease road accidents by 2030.
Worldwide and National Statistics on Road Accidents
On a global scale, approximately 1.35 million people are killed each year due to road accidents. Trauma from road traffic is the eighth major cause of death for all ages worldwide, and it tops the list for children and young adults aged 5-29 years. Road accidents place an economic burden on countries as they cost around 3% of their respective GDP.
In India, nearly 1.5 lakh people die annually due to road mishaps. However, between 2010 and 2018, there has been a significant decrease in both accident numbers and related deaths, despite the substantial increase in automotive growth. However, road accident severity (number of fatalities per 100 accidents) has increased by 0.6% in 2018 compared to the previous year.
Global Initiatives for Road Safety
Several initiatives have been taken globally to ensure road safety. In 2015, the Brasilia Declaration on Road Safety was signed at the second Global High-Level Conference on Road Safety in Brazil, planning to halve global deaths and injuries from road accidents by 2030. Furthermore, UN Global Road Safety Week, observed every two years, emphasizes the importance of strong leadership for road safety.
India’s Aspirations for Road Safety
The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways in India has formulated a multi-pronged strategy focusing on the following four ‘E’s – Education, Engineering, Enforcement, and Emergency Care to ensure safer roads. Several national initiatives have also been undertaken, such as the Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan Committee set up by the Supreme Court in 2014 and the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act, 2019, which increases penalties for traffic violations, provides compulsory insurance coverage for all road users in India for certain types of accidents, and ensures the protection of good samaritans among other provisions.
