Government of Gujarat

Ports and Transport Department

Order No.MVA-102014-Supc-3-P.F.-KH
Dated 1~tt,December, 2015

Draft State Road Safety Policy

WHEARES, the State Government has constituted the State Road Safety
Council under the Chairmanship of Hon'ble Minister (Transport) to
deliberate and make recommendations relating to Road Safety and
reduction in the number of road accidents.

(
AND WHEARES on 11th May, 2015, a meeting of the State Road Safety
Council was convened under the Chairmanship of Hon'ble Minister
(Transport) Government of Gujarat.

AND WHEARES council has observed that on a average one road

accident take place every minute, and one fatal accident every fourth
minute in the country. Road crashes cost approximately one to three
percent of the country's GDP. It recognizes that road accidents have now
become a major public health issue, and the victims are mainly the poor
and vulnerable road users.

NOW THEREFORE, the council has expressed deep concern on the

increasing number of road accidents, injuries and fatalities in recent years
and inter alia, recommended formulation of State Road Safety Policy.The
State Road Safety Policy outlines the policy initiatives to be taken by the
State Government at all levels to improve the road safety activities in the
State, To achieve the goal of reduction in road accidents as well as
fatalities by 50% by 2020, the State of Gujarat hereby declare State Road
Safety Policy as under:
I. Preamble.

The Government of Gujarat recognisesthat road accidents have now

become a major public health issue, and the victims are mainly the
poor and vulnerable road users. The Government of Gujarat
further recognises that as road accidents involve roads, motor
vehicles and the human beings, road safety needs to be addressed
on a holistic basis. Road traffic accidents, therefore, have the
potential of being one of the largest challenges to orderly human
existence necessitating immediate and urgent intervention. In the
light of this, the Government of Gujarat, through this Road Safety
Policy, states its commitment to bring about a significant reduction in
mortality and morbidity resulting from road accidents.

II. PolicyStatement.

In order to achieve a significant improvement in road safety, the

Government of Gujarat is committed to:

(i) Strengthening Legal, Institutional and

EnvironmentArrangements-
The Government will take appropriate measures to ensure that the
required legal, institutional and financial environment for road safety
is further strengthened and a mechanism for effective coordination
of various stakeholders is put in place. The Government will consider
the scheme to create State Road Safety Fund with the objective of
strengthening road safety and implementation of road safety
measures ,through loan, grant, funding through central Government
or any other sources as authorized by the Government. Government
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will also ensure to establish Motor Accident Claim Tribunals (MAG)

in adequate numbers in respect of number of cases. The
Government will create a lead agency to ensure effective coordination
and active and extensive participation of the Government
Departments, community at large, the private sector, academia and
NGOs.

(ii) Raise Awareness about Road Safety Issues and Road

Safety Education and Training.
The Government would increase its efforts to promote awareness
about the various aspects of road safety, the social and economic
implications of road accidents and what needs to be done to curb
the rising menace of road accidents. This would enable and empower
the different stakeholders to play a meaningful role in promoting
road safety. Government will take steps to create awareness
regarding road safety amongst population through education,
training and publicity campaigns. Road Safety may be made the
integral part of syllabus for school children and college going
students. Road Safety Education should not remain a matter of
words. Students must be educated in a way that brings them alive to
the issues of road safety. Government will encourage the professional
as well as NGOsto actively participate in road safety programmes. It
will cover both urban and rural areas.
(iii) Establish a Road Safety Information Database.

The Government will establish a state level road safety information

system. Since crash data is the key source of information for the
planners, facilitators and researchers, Government of Gujarat will ensure
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 for working towards development of a comprehensive database
management system. Following key activities will be undertaken to
improve the information system.
• Create a database to fit the requirements of Home Department, Road
and Building Department, Transport Department, Health & Family
Welfare Department, Urban Development Department and Research
Institutions.
• All Trauma Care Centres, District Hospitals and Ambulance Services to
be connected to the database.
• Interfaces to be provided with the Centralized Motor Vehicle database
of the State.
• Capacity-building for in-depth accident analysis, investigation and
reporting.
• GIS & GPS enablement for real-time tracking of accidents.

The Government will provide assistance to improve the quality of crash

investigation and of data collection, transmission and analysis. To achieve
this goal, it will seek the help and assistance of Government of India as
provided in National Road Safety Policy.

(iv) Ensure Safer Road Infrastructure

The Government will take measures to review standards pertaining to

safety in the design of rural and urban road network for all road users
in the State with a view to achieving 'zero road accident figure'. The
Government will ensure to adopt best practices in designing the safe
roads. Government will ensure to incorporate "zero black spot policy"
for reduction in the road accidents. Government will develop a "Road
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Safety Design Guidelines" to be used by engineers at all levels in
all road sector agencies covering urban and rural roads. The
Government will consider to construct wayside amenities/service
centers on major road network etc. which will result in substantial
reduction in road accidents/fatalities. Government will consider to
introduce 'Traffic Calming' measures to physically reduce the speed
in vulnerable stretches, near schools/hospitals/markets/other busy
community locations. The Government will ensure to adopt the
practice of Road Safety Audits.

(v) Safer Vehicles

The Government will take steps to promote statutory periodic

inspection as an essential check on the road-worthiness of all
transport vehicles, as well as improve the air quality emitting from
vehicular pollution. The Government will ensure to take effective
steps to bring more automation in statutory periodic inspection of
vehicles. Government will take stringent measures to ensure safety
features in the usage, operation and maintenance of both motorized
and non-motorized vehicles in order to minimize adverse safety and
environmental effects of vehicle operation on road users (including
pedestrians and bicyclists) and infrastructure.

(vi) Safer Drivers

The Government will ensure to bring stringent norms in the testing
system of driver licensing and training to improve the competence
and capability of drivers. The Government will encourage the
provision of infrastructure development for driver training.

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(vii) Safety for Vulnerable Road Users-
The design and construction of all road facilities (rural and urban)
will take into consideration the needs of non-motorized transport and
the vulnerable and physically challenged in an appropriate manner.
The Government will seek to disseminate best 'practices' in this
regard to town planners, architects, and highway and traffic
engineers.
(viii) Enforcement of Traffic Laws-
The Government recognizes that enforcement has a key role in
encouraging improved road users' behavior. The Government will
improve the quality of traffic enforcement. The Government is
committed to bring the increasing use of information technology in
the enforcement. CC TV cameras will be established in city areas to
ensure stricter enforcement. Government will take appropriate steps
to ensure that the enforcement agencies are adequately manned,
trained and equipped to carry out their functions. The Government
will also consider to establish focused agencies for traffic enforcement
like traffic police stations.
(ix) Emergency Medical Assistance to Road Accident Viet" s
The State Government will ensure that persons involved in road
accidents get immediate benefit from speedy and effective trauma
care and health management during "golden hour". The essential
functions of such services would include the provision of rescue
operation including pre medical care, first aid at site of accident,
transportation of victim to appropriate hospital. The State
Government will earnestly consider the option of the rescue through
helicopter also. Government will make a provision for cranes at

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reasonable distance gaps on National/State Highways for extending

immediate clearance of road blockades at accident sites. Hospitals
alongside the National Highways and State Highways would be
adequately equipped to provide for trauma care, rehabilitation and
involvement of private practitioners and hospitals in management of
trauma care ambulances will be encouraged. Government will ensure
to maintain the access roads to each emergency care hospital,
motorable,and free from roadside parking or encroachments/
obstructions. Government will ensure to train all commercial vehicle
drivers in First Aid trauma care. Government will also take steps to
ensure that compensation must be provided without unnecessary
delay to accident victims of hit and run cases.
(x) Road Safety Research.
The Government will encourage activity of road safety research by
identifying priority areas and funding research in those areas
adequately. Government will consider to designate a dedicated
agency for crash investigation. The Government will identify and
disseminate good and disseminate practices through various means
like publication, training, conferences, workshops and websites.
..
By order and in the name of the Governor of Gujarat,

~~.&,R.,
(S,R'soni)
Deputy Secretary to Government.