ROAD ACCIDENTS

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LOK SABHA

 

As per information available the number of road accidents per thousand motor vehicles on National Highways has been decreasing over the last few years as given below :-

Year	Population of vehicles all categories (in thousand)	No. of accidents on National Highways	Accidents per thousand vehicle
1996	33783	89046(P)	2.64
1997	37231	94014(P)	2.53
1998	40939	98690(P)	2.41
1999	45000(Provisional)	103839	2.31

P=Provisional (information awaited from some States)

Analysis of road accidents reveals that about 83.5% of accidents are on account of fault of drivers. Condition of vehicles, roads etc. are some of the other factors that also contribute to accidents. Several road safety measures have been taken up. These include :-

1. About 15,750 drivers of heavy motors vehicles have been provided refresher training in the last Plan period.
2. Publicity campaigns on road safety awareness through audio-visual-print media.
3. Grant-in-aid is provided to voluntary organisations for administering road safety programmes.
4. Use of simulators in driver’s training is encouraged.
5. National Award instituted for voluntary organisations/individuals for outstanding work in the field of road safety.
6. All India Essay Competition on road safety are organised for school children for creating awareness among the school children.
7. Fitness norms for transport vehicles have been tightened.
8. Widening/improvement of roads.

The National Highways Authority of India has not asked oil companies to move Petrol pumps away from National Highways. However, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in consultation with Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas and the oil companies is finalising guidelines regarding the layout of access to the fuel stations on National Highways, for reducing accidents. This has been felt necessary as higher speed due to improved road conditions and increase in the number of motor vehicles necessitate a free flow of traffic on highways. In the absence of proper layout of fuel stations, access and exit to highways obstructs traffic and thereby endangersHighway safety of road users.

This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Road Transport and Highways, Major General (Retd.) B.C. Khanduri in reply to a question of Shri Maheshwar Singh and Shri Naresh Puglia in Lok Sabha today.