Road safety is an imperative multi-faceted topic of concern for the state government. Out of its various aspects, pedestrian safety is of utmost important. Every year, several vulnerable pedestrians, bikers and cyclists account for 50% of fatal road accidents. As per the reports of the Central Road Transport and Highway ministry, Rajasthan was the fifth most vulnerable state in terms of highway deaths last year. With 10,510 people losing their lives on road, Rajasthan contributed to 4.8% of total accidents occurring in India.
Keeping this in mind, Rajasthan government has stressed on traffic rules time and again. A few factors that prevent road accidents are:
- Careful driving,
- Controlling vehicle speed in high-traffic areas and
- Wearing helmets while driving.
If drivers follow these rules, up to 40% cases can be prevented very easily.
To make road travel safer and more convenient for commuters, Rajasthan government had recently created the first road safety policy for locales. Taking a positive step in this direction, state Transport Minister Yunus Khan directed road officials to frame a comprehensive road safety campaign for all 33 districts in Rajasthan. This plan will lay special emphasis on rural areas, as it’s essential to generate awareness there.
Khan has Great Plans for Strengthening Rajasthan Road Safety
Khan shed light on his ambitious road safety campaign at the inaugural session of a state-level workshop on road safety in Jaipur. He said that the government is set to launch a new campaign for Gram Panchayats. If it delivers positive results, they’ll continue it in future.
In this regard, he asked the district officers to make a list of areas that are most vulnerable to road accidents. The said regions will be prioritised for the campaign. According to Khan, it’s essential to generate awareness in remote rural regions of the state. Road accidents can be prevented if the drivers follow basic traffic rules. Reaching out to these drivers is a major challenge for the government.
Total 65 lakh youngsters enrolled in senior secondary schools are below the age of 18. They’re likely to seek driving license in the coming year. It’s important to educate them about traffic rules to prevent any mishaps in future.
Having said this, local officers have started conducting road surveys. They’ll identify areas that have recorded maximum areas in past. The new road safety campaign will cover these areas. The government is positive that this measure will help prevent accidental deaths in future. We hope for the same!
