`

Road Safety Is No Accident

National Road Safety Council, September 2011

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 Report of the

Working Group on Road Safety Education (RSE)

Submitted to the

Hon’ble Minister for Road Transport and Highways

Government of India

September 2011

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Prologue ....................................................................................................................... 4

Chapter 1: Key Messages from the Group ................................................................... 6

1.1 Formulation of a National Road Safety Policy........................................................................ 6
1.2 Targetting drivers......................................................................................................................... 7
1.3. Improving data reporting system ............................................................................................. 8
1.4. Imparting safety education to students ...................................................................................8
1.5 Broaden the ambit of RSE ......................................................................................................... 8
1.6 Outreach and awareness generation ........................................................................................ 8
1.7 Rural-urban divide ....................................................................................................................... 9
1.8 Mobilising resources.................................................................................................................... 9
1.9 Strengthening laws and their enforcement ............................................................................10
1.10. Education to be accompanied with enforcement ..............................................................10
1.11. Examples of good practices and rewarding them..............................................................10
1.12. Political will and support .......................................................................................................11
1.13. Conclusion ...............................................................................................................................11

Chapter 2: Status in India ...........................................................................................12

2.1 The Global Concern .................................................................................................................12
2.2 Road Accidents ..........................................................................................................................12
2.3 The National Concern ..............................................................................................................13

Chapter 3: Road Safety Education & Problematic Areas ..........................................14

3.1 Why is Road Safety Education (RSE) Important?................................................................14
3.2 Problematic Areas .....................................................................................................................14

Chapter 4: Recommendations .................................................................................. 20

4.1 Policy and Implementation Issues ..........................................................................................20
4.2 On Road Safety Education – What and How? .....................................................................22
4. 3 Short term and Long term Plans ...........................................................................................24

Chapter 5: Road Map to Achieve Goals by 2020 ....................................................... 27

Chapter 6: Conclusion ...............................................................................................31

Annexures
Annexure I: Working Group on Road Safety Education ..........................................................32
Annexure II: Examples of some good practices from across the world .................................34
Annexure III: Cross Linkages with Other Working Groups ....................................................35
Annexure IV: Curbing Road Accidents: Initiatives of Government of Maharashtra............36
Annexure V: Institutional Set up in Tamil Nadu to Address Road Safety Issues ..................37
Annexure VI: State-wise Fines Collected From Road Transport Sector.................................41

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Prologue 
“More people die of road accidents than by most diseases, so much so the Indian highways are among the top killers of
the country”, Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer1

1.1 The year, 2011 marks the beginning of the Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011-20) as
proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in March, 2010. The proposals emanating
from the international community seek concerted efforts across all societies to address the growing
road safety crisis. It proclaimed, “the period 2010-2020 as the Decade of Action for Road Safety
with a goal to stabilise and then reduce the forecast level of road traffic fatalities around the world
by increasing road safety activities conducted at the national, regional and global levels.” The
resolution was sponsored by the Government of the Russian Federation and co-sponsored by more
than 90 countries. It calls upon member States to implement road safety activities in a holistic
manner, having regard to five “pillars”:

(a) building road safety management capacity;

(b) improving the safety of road infrastructure;
(c) further developing the safety of vehicles;
(d) enhancing the behaviour of road users; and
(e) improving emergency and other post-crash services.

1.2 India unfortunately, ranks high in terms of sheer number of road accidents which were close to
half a million with more than 1,25,000 fatalities in 2009 though in terms of accidents/deaths per
lakh population they were lower compared to many countries.

1.3 The guiding principles for the Decade of Action for Road Safety are those espoused in the “safe
system” approach. This approach aims to develop a road transport system that is better able to
accommodate human error and take into consideration the vulnerability of the human body. The
goal of a “safe system” is to ensure that accidents do not result in fatality or serious human injury.
Road users, vehicles and the road network are addressed in a holistic manner through a wide range
of traditional and newer approaches.

2. It is, therefore, praise-worthy that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, under the
leadership of Dr C. P. Joshi decided to ratchet the discussions behind this effort to create a better
road safety regime in India, so that our people are safer on the roads. In a press interview2, Dr Joshi
said that while building the highway network is his first priority, road safety is his second priority.
This Working Group is confident that the work being done by it and the other three Working
Groups on Education, Engineering, Enforcement and Emergency Care under the National Road
Safety Council will convince Dr. Joshi to realign road safety as a parallel priority with the road

1
Rattan Singh v. State of Punjab (1979) 4 SCC 719
2
“Revamp of highways body, road safety top priority list, says Joshi” at
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-logistics/article2145514.ece

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building works. If the country has to expand the road network, simultaneously, it must ensure safety
of users that the users of the network.

3. Despite the success of an economy growing at an annual average rate of about 8.5 percent over
the last few years, the road safety scenario has deteriorated. This has been contributed by rising
number of vehicles on the road, inadequate expansion of road network and shift in the freight and
passenger traffic from rail to roads over the last several years. Growing traffic increases the threat of
exposure to road accidents. The millions of vehicles (registered vehicles estimated at 115 million at
end March 2009) on our roads, often defying laws, inflict severe socio-economic costs which cannot
be easily captured in numbers. Road accidents today constitute one of the greatest hazards to human
safety. The number of injuries and deaths due to road accidents has steadily increased globally and in
India as well. The magnitude of road accidents is alarming by any standards. In India every minute
there is a road accident and every four minutes a road accident related death.

4. Road traffic injuries and fatalities impose a huge economic burden on developing economies, in
particular. In India, more than half of the road accident victims are in the age group of 25-65 years,
the relevant wage earning and child raising age group. The loss of the main bread earner and head
of household due to death or disability can be catastrophic, leading to lower living standards and
poverty, in addition to the human cost of bereavement.

5. Road safety is a public good. It comprises many dimensions which include legislation, funding,
resource allocation, promotion of road safety, monitoring, evaluation, research and development,
knowledge dissemination and coordination. These functions are expected to be primarily undertaken
by the government, but need to be carried in partnership with civil society and businesses to achieve
the desired results.

6. In good practices, road safety results are expressed as long term goals and interim quantitative
targets. Targets should specify the desired safety performance endorsed by government at various
levels (central, state/UT and local), stakeholders and the community, and good performers should
be recognised. To be credible, interim targets must be achievable with cost effective interventions.

7. There are many solutions to the problem of unsafe roads. Road accidents are not random events
and can be contained by remedial action. The most effective way to achieve the road safety is to
integrate the driver, the vehicle the road, the road-user and the environment for a holistic approach
to the problem.

8. India is a country of continental dimensions encompassing diversity in terms of geography,

terrain, climate, language, rural urban divide, language and culture. Therefore, “one size fits all”
approach may not be appropriate in addressing the road safety issues. Developed countries with
high levels of urbanisation, education and common language are more suited for a uniform
approach and strategy. In India, Road Safety Awareness and RSE have to shed its urban-centric bias
and should address the issues and challenges in the rural and remote areas as well. Therefore, the
content, emphasis, medium and focus have to be different across regions.

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Chapter 1: Key Messages from the Group 
The overall objective of the UN road safety goals, targets and indicators for the Decade of Action for Road Safety is a
50 percent reduction in fatalities and serious injuries on the roads of Asia and the Pacific over the period 2011 to
2020.

The following 11 strategic issues need immediate attention by the government to launch the
campaign to make people safer on roads. There can be other issues as well, but even if the countery
is able achieve progress on this list it would be able to make an effective contribution to the road
safety scenario in India. The list is not prioritised but represents a bunch of issues and action is
needed on all of them simultaneously. With a view to achieve 50 percent reduction in road accidents
by 2020, it is imperative to prioritise an Action Plan encompassing:

1.1 Formulation of a National Road Safety Policy

1.2 Targetting drivers
1.3 Improving data reporting system
1.4 Imparting safety education to children
1.5 Broadening ambit of RSE
1.6 Outreach and awareness generation
1.7 Rural-urban divide
1.8 Mobilising resources
1.9 Strengthening laws and their enforcement
1.10 Education to be accompanied with enforcement
1.11 Examples of good practices and rewarding them
1.12 Political will and support
1.13 Conclusion

1.1 Formulation of a National Road Safety Policy

1.1.1 The Ministry in its Citizen’s Charter had made a public commitment to adopt a National Road
Safety Policy in the year 2006-07. Alas, there is no sign of this crucial document as the political will
was absent. A Policy Statement by the Government is a resolution of the government to promote its
intent to do something. Such a specific policy then becomes the backbone and a sounding board for
measures to be taken to fulfil the objects of the policy. Hence it is urged that a time bound plan be
adopted by the government to design and adopt such a policy through wide consultations. Once this
is done then legislative backup should be provided to implement its recommendations, rather than
be left as best endeavour measures.

1.1.2 Notably, the Government of Tamil Nadu had adopted a State Road Safety Policy which can be
looked at for being scaled up as a National Policy. (Please see Annexure V)

1.2 Targetting drivers

1.2.1 The most important factor that needs to be looked at is social responsibility. Drivers need to
have a responsible attitude and a level of learning and skill when given this responsibility. The
attitude and behaviour of drivers plays a major role in road safety. If one looks at the accident data,
more than half of the accidents and more than two-thirds of the deaths in the country occur on
national and state highways. Assuming that 80 percent of the accidents are caused due to the driver’s
fault, one critical and immediate issue is to target all drivers, and particularly heavy vehicle drivers,

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most of whom are illiterate. Innovative programmes need to be designed to be able to communicate
with them. The AIDS prevention campaign aimed at truck drivers can offer some insights.

1.2.2 Drivers’ training is already being pursued and our proposal is that innovative communication
programmes should be done in addition to formal training programmes. Due to rise in consumption
culture a large number of accidents is caused by their reckless driving, not to forget increasing rise in
road rage cases in our cities. Indians wish to go faster on the roads but are slow in their work.
Targetting such drivers to improve their driving habits can be done through the fear of enforcement
along with other communication strategies and peer pressure. The formal training programmes
should include refresher training programmes as a condition for the renewal of any licence to drive a
heavy vehicle.3

1.2.3 Besides car drivers, three wheeler and two wheeler riders too need to be targeted in specific
campaigns.

1.2.4 Drivers need to be cautious and sensitive to all the rules and safety regulations. Safe habits
need to be adopted and practised continuously. Driver distraction and inattention are also important
driving safety issues. Billboards and artefacts from roadsides also contribute greatly to the
distraction. Drivers cannot drive safely in unsafe conditions. Road accidents are also contributed by
road conditions, design and geometry.

1.2.5 Driver’s fatigue, reduced compliance with traffic regulations, over speeding, aggressive driving
behaviour and demands for the road by pedestrians and slow moving traffic pose additional
challenges.

1.3. Improving data reporting system

1.3.1 Our data collection system needs reform and strengthening. It does not capture the
disaggregated data on the causes of the accident, such as driver’s fault; bad or ill designed roads; or
even badly designed vehicles plying without proper lights; slow moving vehicles without any lights
or reflectors; jay walkers, jay drivers and so on.

1.3.2 Data reporting and compilation of road accident statistics need to address road accident causes
in greater detail in terms of road geometry, drivers’ fault, vehicle condition, design and so on. This
will help in the correct diagnosis of causes and recommend remedial action. To this end, services of
a multidisciplinary team would be required to visit the accident site and undertake a detailed analysis
of causes.

1.3.3 People believe that accidents are often under-reported due to bureaucratic inertia. Estimates
of under reporting vary from 15 to 30 percent. Quite often when people are involved in small
accidents, they usually settle the same through bilateral consultations or through peer pressure of
other road users or the community. Such data is not captured at all.

1.3.4 In Tamil Nadu, a software called Tamil Nadu Road Accident Data Management System
(RADMS) is used. RADMS requires filling up of 68 parameters. This software helps in the

3
M. C. Mehta v. Union of India & others December 16, 1997, accessed at:
http://www.indiankanoon.org/doc/534459/

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comprehensive and accurate collection of data and facilitates timely dissemination. Information on
RADMS is included in Annexure V of the report.

1.4. Imparting safety education to students

RSE should begin from the childhood. If safety awareness is imparted in childhood, safety will
become a habit and a way of life. However, like so many demands being made on the overburdened
school children, a comprehensive Life/Value Education package is proposed which will deliver
sensitisation to school children on all relevant social issues, such as road safety, product safety,
consumer awareness, environment, health, etc. in an innovative way in regional languages so that the
children find it attractive and messages are absorbed. For this purpose, the Ministry of Human
Resources Development (HRD) should coordinate with all relevant ministries and arrive at a
consensual approach and plan of action. The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways could request
the Ministry of HRD to lead an inter-ministerial group comprising other relevant ministries to
enable a comprehensive Life/Value Education strategy to reach out to the millions of school and
college students in our country in a structured and continuing basis.

1.5 Broaden the ambit of RSE

RSE should not be confined to educational institutions but should be expanded to cover a range of
activities and road users in association with all stakeholders. Apart from students, it should include:
paramedics, nurses and persons involved in evacuation and post accident care; traffic police and
road transport personnel engaged in regulation of road transport sector; NGOs and civil society
activists; organisations maintaining large fleet of buses, cars, road freight carriers. This could include
State Road Transport Undertakings (SRTUs); heavy vehicle drivers; population of villages adjacent
or by the side of busy national/state highways, junctions, etc,

1.6 Outreach and awareness generation

1.6.1 Situation movies and field trips should be used as effective learning tools for children at
school. Safe road user awards at the school level would provide an incentive for many children to
follow road safety rules.

1.6.2 Celebrity endorsements, coupled with TV messages on prime time slots and peer education
programmes targeting different segments of the road system and users would provide an accessible
and engaging means of road safety awareness.

1.6.3 In Delhi, the traffic police have used celebrities to raise awareness at busy road crossings, thus,
catching the attention of all. One can see the result of the efforts made by Delhi Police which has
been witnessing a fall in road accidents4.

1.6.4 Another major issue to be targeted through such an outreach campaign is to build respect for
patience and encourage people to be disciplined. A good practice can be quoted from the days when
Morarji Desai was the Chief Minister of the undivided Bombay State. He posted two constables at
every bus stop to ensure that people stood in queues. As a result, there is a high level of civic
discipline in Mumbai as compared to other cities. This is also to buttress our point that education
needs to be coupled with enforcement.

4
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/article2291537.ece

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1.7 Rural-urban divide
1.7.1 Another problem is that discussions and prescriptions are city-centric without addressing the
rural scenario, which needs a distinct and tailor-made approach. A good practice has been reported
from Maharashtra State, where a State Accident Prevention Committee, comprising relevant
departments and civil society, travels throughout the state to identify hot spots on national and state
highways, particularly rural areas, and address remedial measures (Please see Annexure IV).

1.7.2 Slow moving vehicle owners, cyclists and other people in the rural areas will need to be
exposed to better practices, such as using lights at night, reflectors, etc. so that the number of
accidents and deaths in rural areas can come down.

1.8 Mobilising resources

1.8.1 It is noteworthy that the MORTH has an annual allocation of Rs.45crore for road safety
activities, while the state of Tamil Nadu alone allocates Rs40crore on road safety activities. What is
more glaring is that the MORTH’s budget remains unspent.

1.8.2 Funding needs to be raised through innovative means, because our proposals will need large
resources. There are several ways to do it, through both state budgetary allocations and voluntary
contributions by relevant businesses, such as automobile manufacturers, insurance companies, fuel
suppliers etc. A small cess can also be levied on highway toll charges to be contributed to such a
fund.

1.8.3 A proposal was made by the Committee on Road Safety & Traffic Management to set up a
Road Safety Fund by earmarking a minimum one percent of total proceeds of cess on diesel and
petrol. The proposal also included the establishment of a National Road Safety & Traffic
Management Board. While the concept of a national board to address these critical issues is
desirable, the proposal for a cess to fund road safety activities cannot wait. Therefore, it is suggested
that the fund should be created as soon as possible through an enabling provision in the Motor
Vehicles Act (MV Act), 1988. The amendment proposed should also cover State’s responsibilities to
create a state level fund by crediting half of the fines collected from traffic and transport rule
violations.

1.8.4 The States should set aside a fixed percentage of the fines collected through prosecution on
transport and traffic violations. In 2007-08 over Rs 1,144 crore were collected by most States from
such fines, while in 2008-09 the same figure was over Rs 1,290 crore. This data is available at
Annexure VI. However, the data does not have figures from various states and union territories.

1.8.5 According to guesstimate, the total amount of fines collected by all States and Union
Territories would be over Rs 2,500 crore in 2009-10. If half of that is dedicated to the proposed
Road Safety Awareness Fund, then a corpus of over Rs 1,250 crore every year would be available to
devote to road safety activities benefits of which would be huge. The economic cost of road traffic
accidents in India was estimated at Rs 75,000 crore in 1999-2000, which makes Rs 1,250 crore a
miniscule amount to be used for this crusade.

1.8.6 Finally, the expenditure of the budgets should be monitored under the Results Framework
Management System of the Government and responsibilities fixed on the relevant staff for not
achieving the targets.

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1.9 Strengthening laws and their enforcement
1.9.1 The Motor Vehicle Act needs to be amended to ensure that the Road Safety Awareness Fund
is created at the Centre and in all States, as mentioned above and be dedicated to awareness
generation and outreach programmes. Such a fund should not be available to carry out engineering
and other works which should come out of the regular budgets of the State Governments.

1.9.2 Secondly, it can also be provided in the law to enable the fund to receive voluntary
contributions from firms engaged in automobile-related activities such automobile manufacturers,
insurance companies, tyre companies, etc.

1.9.3 Insurance laws should be modified so that the person who causes the accident has to bear a
certain proportion of insurance claim, depending on severity of negligence. Secondly, the laws
should provide higher compensation to the injured (as against to the next of kin of the dead) who
get disabled for life and become a burden on the society and their families. A dead person will not
be a beneficiary of the compensation but his/her family will certainly get financial support, if the
deceased was a bread earner for the family.

1.9.4 The Law Commission of India has also made several critical and valuable recommendations
for legal reforms to combat road accidents under its Report No. 2345 which needs to be reviewed by
the Working Group on Enforcement and the National Road Safety Council for suitable adoption.

The Law Commission has recommended amendment in Section 304A of the Indian Penal Code to
make the offence of rash and negligent driving punishable with the maximum term of imprisonment
of ten years, instead of two years as at present provided. It has also been recommended that causing
death of any person through driving under the influence of drink or drugs should be punishable
with the minimum term of imprisonment of two years.

The said Commission has also recommended imprisonment for pedestrian and non-motorised
traffic cases as there is no appropriate legislation to govern the behaviour of pedestrians and the
non-motorised traffic.

1.10. Education to be accompanied with enforcement

Enforcement has a key role in encouraging improved road-users behaviour. The general deterrence
provided by enforcement authorities will promote the public perception that “compliance
everywhere all the time” is the best way of avoiding penalties and improving safety. Often the fear of
the stick works better than the stick itself.

1.11. Examples of good practices and rewarding them

1.11.1 Tamil Nadu has adopted its own Road Safety Policy, while the Central Government is yet to
adopt one. Besides the Policy, Tamil Nadu is a very good example of a systemic approach to the
issue of road safety (please see Annexure V). This working group came to know about this and the
Maharashtra experiences because the representatives from these two States were very active in the
deliberations.

5
http://lawcommissionofindia.nic.in/reports/report234.pdf

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1.11.2 Surely there are good practices in other states also which will be known after this report is
circulated. We can always add them to the report at a later stage when we come up with a second
edition. After all, this work will be incremental and dynamic and not static. Moreover, such good
practices should be recognised publicly so that the States that are carrying out such practices are
rewarded and the same act as an inspiration to other States to follow.

1.12. Political will and support

In the ultimate analysis, political will and support are crucial to achieve changes, which can come
through gradually. For this purpose, the intent of the government should be publicly stated by the
President and Prime Minister of India, and the Governors and Chief Ministers of all States on
special occasions and otherwise also.

1.13. Conclusion
1.13.1 What is recommended to the government is not to approach the necessary reforms in an
incremental fashion but to overhaul the whole approach so that people are safer on the roads. We
cannot afford to continue on a business-as-usual approach, but require concerted effort at all levels
in the country, at the level of the Central Government, state governments and all sub-state
authorities, including municipalities and gram panchayats.

1.13.2 In this report it has also been recommended that the National Road Safety Day be adopted
on 11th May when the UN Secretary General announced the Action for Road Safety Decade on 11th
May, 2010. This can be done on Friday, 11th May, 2012 and we could use the interim period to start
preparations for the same from now. We will need to complete the whole report of the Council
which means including the reports of the three other Working Groups with a synthesis report and a
Comprehensive Plan of Action for the government at the level of the central and state governments
to implement.
1.13.3 Finally, this Working Group is also presenting a Time Bound Action Plan on the pattern of
the Millennium Development Goals to reduce accidents in India by half by the end of the Road
Safety Decade in 2020. This Plan will need to incorporate the recommendations of the other three
Working Groups to be turned into a coherent National Action Plan.

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Chapter 2: Status in India 

2.1 The Global Concern

In addition to the enormous toll of human lives, economic impact due to road crashes is phenomenal: Supreme Court of
India

2.1.1 Expressing concern over increasing road accidents, the Supreme Court suggested that a
national policy needs to be evolved in order to prevent and reduce traffic casualties. Quoting the
figures published in Global Road Safety, a Bench of the Court consisting of Justice Arijit Pasayat
and Justice S H Kapadia noted: “Almost 1.3 million people are killed each year and 20 to 50 million
injured or disabled; most people are unaware that road traffic injuries are a leading cause of death
and disability.” The bench was dismissing an appeal by Rathnaselvan against a Karnataka High
Court judgment that upheld a six-month imprisonment awarded by the trial court for rash driving.

2.1.2 The apex Court raised concerns over the rising trend in road accidents in India, which is
comparatively higher than in other developing countries. In developing countries, each vehicle is
much more lethal than in developed countries, because it most frequently takes the lives not of
occupants but of vulnerable road users: pedestrians, cyclists, etc., a major reason being imperfect and
incompetent driving.

2.1.3 The bench further quoted that in addition to the devastating human toll, the economic impact
of road crashes is enormous. Developing countries face poorly designed and maintained roadways,
unsafe vehicles, drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol, lack of national policies and, above
all, lack of effective and meaningful education to the drivers. Success will require significant new
resources supported by sustained political commitment.

2.2 Road Accidents

2.2.1 Global Status Report on Road Safety (GSRRS) 2009 launched by the World Health
Organisation (WHO) reflects a similar situation and cites figures such as those noted in the Supreme
Court of India. Every hour, forty people under the age of twenty-five die in road accidents around
the globe. According to the WHO, this is the second most important cause of death for five to
twenty-nine- year olds. Pedestrians and cyclists form a major chunk of fatalities.

2.2.2 Road accidents have earned India a dubious distinction. With around 130,000 deaths annually,
the country has overtaken China and now has the worst road traffic accident rate worldwide. In
India, the death toll rose to fourteen per hour in 2009 as opposed to thirteen the previous year.

2.2.3 GSRRS is the first broad assessment of the road safety situation in 178 countries, using data
drawn from a standardised survey. The results show that road traffic injuries remain an important
public health problem, particularly for low-income and middle-income countries. Pedestrians,
cyclists and motorcyclists make up almost half of those killed on the roads, highlighting the need for
these road users to be given more attention in road safety programmes. The results suggest that in
many countries road safety laws need to be made more comprehensive while enforcement should be
strengthened. GSRRS results clearly show that significantly more action is needed to make the
world's roads safer.

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2.3 The National Concern
2.3.1 On an average, 20 percent of all people killed in traffic accidents in developing countries are
under the age of fifteen. This is twice as high as in the developed world. In India, there is one road
accident every minute, and one fatal accident every fourth minute. There are as many as thirty-five
accidents per thousand vehicles, and the drivers involved in road crashes are in the age group of 20-
40 years. Two-wheelers and cars contribute to 50 percent of the total accidents. Road crashes cost
approximately one to three percent of a country’s GDP.

2.3.2 Other than road engineering issues, most of the accidents are caused by the driver’s fault.
While some experts say it is around 50 percent, in the NRSC meeting on 25th March, 2011, the
Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways, Shri Jitin Prasada, said that it was around 80
percent. Whatever be the exact figure, we do need to focus on education and enforcement for
improving driver performance.

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Chapter 3: Road Safety Education and Problematic Areas 
3.1 Why is Road Safety Education (RSE) Important?
3.1.1 The draft National Road Safety Policy has emphasised the importance and necessity of RSE as
recommended by Sundar Committee as under:

Road safety knowledge and awareness will be created amongst the population through education, training and publicity
campaigns. RSE will also focus on school children and college going students, while road safety publicity campaigns will
be used to propagate good road safety practices among the community. The Government will encourage all professionals
associated with road design, road construction, road network management, traffic management and law enforcement to
attain adequate knowledge of road safety issues.

3.1.2 In a nutshell, the reasons for RSE are:

• Roads in developing countries are often more unsafe than roads in developed countries and
the traffic safety problems faced by children is often greater in the developing world.
Absence of traffic education can leave children exposed to unnecessary risks.
• To provide the necessary framework for the acquisition and percolation of safety knowledge
and skills. These include decision-making skills, and the identification and assessment of
risks and strategies to reduce these risks.
• To prepare children for different tasks at each stage of their increasingly independent use of
the road network and, later, as adults.
• To provide the basis for improving road user behaviour over time.

3.2 Problematic Areas

3.2.1 Some identified problems and their cross linkages with other Es are as follows:

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Serial The Problem Cross Linkage with other Macro or Micro
No Es and suggestions Issue or Critical
proposed
Policy Issues
1 Absence of Road Safety Policy This document, when ready Critical
and Law and comes into existence, will
address all the four Es:
Education; Enforcement;
Engineering and Emergency
Care of road safety
significantly.
2 Lack of coordination among The four Es of road safety Macro and critical
departments whose work relates should be considered
to road safety issues. holistically by strengthening
the inter-linkages between the
four Es. The Government to
monitor enforcement and
engineering, the vehicle
manufacturers to stress on
safer vehicle design and the
police, medical personnel and
other stakeholders who play a
role during emergency care
should all be educated on all
the cross linking issues which
will enhance road safety in
real life. Therefore, Education
and Coordination amongst
Government Departments,
Manufacturers, Police, Medical
personnel and Road users is a
must.
3. Lack of political will/low Both the Central and the Macro and critical
priority on government agenda State governments should
and Inter-Ministerial take initiatives to make RSE
Coordination on all Es and cross linking
issues of all stakeholders a
high priority. Politicians also
need to be sensitised.

15
4. Lack of financial support/ All the concerned state Critical
Paucity of Funds: Support for departments and the central
educational activities on road government should chalk out
safety is minimal either from and set a time plan by
government or from private involving NGOs and NRSC
agency. members.
Absence of financial support
further discourages the
innovations in RSE.
On 7th March, 2008, in a public
meeting hosted by CUTS on the
occasion of its project launch on
‘Traffic Calming Strategy’, the then
Transport Commissioner of Govt of
Rajasthan, Shri Jagdish Chandra had
said that Rajasthan may create
separate budget for road safety
measure.
The Hindu, Saturday, 8th March,
2008
5. Absence of Nodal agency/ Micro but critical
Monitoring Committee/ Road
Safety Councils at state or
regional levels
6. Dodgy Data Reporting System The data collection and Macro and critical
and lack of Systemic data reporting system needs to be
generation and interpretation strengthened, which will
enable recommendation and
implementation of analytical
solutions.
Engineering and Implementation Issues
7. Poor condition of roads: Here, the engineering aspect Macro
Road construction, development of road safety has a role to
and designing are done without play and a direct linkage with
taking the views of common education, where people
commuters, which brings should be educated and
chaotic situation on roads. ample space should be
Simultaneously, people are not provided for awareness
part of such development activities for participation of
and/or involved on technical common road users.
grounds.
8. Poor implementation of Road Here, engineering and Macro
Safety Standards: Mass enforcement both play an
educational activities on the site equal part, besides education.
are required for uses of zebra, The government has to
stop/slow line, signals and ensure that traffic signage
signage. In general, road users should be properly displayed

16
 take these as a ritual or just and zebra crossings are built
ignore them, whereas, improper as speed checks and painted
and invisible road safety visibly. Secondly, “stop, look
standards should be and go” signs should be put
repaired/renovated on a timely up and users educated
basis, which can only happen through persuasion and
when people start using them. penalties.

9. Unsafe Vehicle Design and Again though, the engineering Macro

Speed: Most of the time, aspect has a great role to play,
awareness activities revolve yet the law should ensure that
around behaviour change. vehicles are designed as safe
Vehicle design and speed are vehicles, and people should
considered to be a part of be educated about such issues
engineering. and how to use then
optimally so that they can
demand safe vehicles.
Small measures can be
adopted to impact road safety
also, such as automatic head
light dippers when another
vehicle comes across the road
with high beam.
10. Lack of Prioritisation and Engineering and enforcement Micro but critical
Ignorance in the enforcement teams should also be
and engineering team educated about the criticality
(Prioritising road safety): RSE is of the situation and
last in priority on the list of encouraged to imbibe best
construction and traffic practices from across the
management because of lack of world. For example, how the
awareness towards road safety drunken drivers’ cases are
issues. handled in other countries
instead of letting them free
due to complications of Third
Party Insurance.
Systemic Issues
11. Information dissemination Information dissemination Macro and critical
about road safety
programmes need to be
increased significantly, as
most road users and
managers are quite ignorant
about them.
12. Attitudinal Problems: In a Here, besides education, strict Critical
country like ours, people enforcement and improving
consider it their ‘right’ to use emergency care systems are
roads as per their individual equally important. Only then

17
 convenience. People often do will attitudinal problems
not respect laws and thus, create change.
hazards for themselves and
other road users. For example, Self-discipline needs to be
there is a huge resistance to inculcated in road users
wearing helmets by two wheeler which will require constant
riders. Immense awareness reminders through public
activity coupled with service communication
enforcement is required to strategies.
sensitise and bring about an
attitudinal change.
13. Absence of routine training Traffic police personnel and Critical
programmes for traffic
other stakeholders should be
police/drivers: Traffic police educated on the other three
and drivers spend maximum aspects of road safety. If, they
time on road but they hardly have anything to
receive trainings. Lack of suggest/advise to the
upgradation and exposure
government regarding
creates impact on other road engineering or enforcement,
users like arrogant behaviour, they are the best persons to
speed driving, signal jumping, do that as they see/witness
lane driving, etc. incidents on roads regularly.
Similarly, they should be
given education and training
on emergency care and on
provisions of law such as
Section 134 of MV Act.
14. Rural Urban Divide Generally, road safety
programmes are designed on Macro
the basis of experiences in
urban areas and are city-
centric. In rural areas many of
the accidents are not even
reported. This problem will
have to be addressed through
tailor-made programmes
which will take care of the
rural-urban divide.
15. Absence of space for Micro but critical
participation: Road users in
general are unaware of which
department to approach. At the
same time traffic and transport
departments do not have ample
space for interaction with
common road users nor do they
permit others to participate in

18
 their work.
16. Lack of ownership: Not only Micro
organisations, but also
departments such as education,
traffic, transportation, state
roadways, etc. do not own the
responsibility of safety
education, except once in a year.
Organisations have their excuses
and priorities

19
Chapter 4: Recommendations  
The goals, targets and indicators set in the previous chapter have been elaborated in detail, putting
forward recommendations how to achieve them.

4.1 Policy and Implementation Issues

(i) A National Road Safety Policy and supporting laws are needed.

(ii) The Working Group took note of the fact that the number of road accidents, the
number of fatalities and the number of registered motor vehicles in the country has
increased by 2.4, 5.3 and 10 percent per annum respectively. Keeping this in mind,
the Working Group decided that the number of road accidents and fatalities should
be reduced to half in the year 2020 with base year 2010 per 10,000 vehicles
population. A Comprehensive Plan of Action on the lines of Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) to bring down the road accidents entailing all the
Working Groups on the 4 Es would be needed. The component of the Plan of
Action pertaining to ‘Road Safety Education’ has been presented in the previous
chapter.

MDG-like activities should be adopted by the government to organise road safety

awareness and education programmes on a regular basis for children, youth and
adults. These programmes should be a part of the development agenda of the
government and should also be taken up at the panchayati raj and zilla parishad levels.

(iii) A framework should be put up in place for participation of wide range of

stakeholders like the policy makers, politicians, government, police, medical
personnel, legal personnel, manufacturers, educational institutions, civil society
organisations, voluntary organisations, etc. as part of the “Decade of Action for
Road Safety”.

(iv) Multi-ministry involvement: The most common recommendation is that political

leaders – both those in power and members of the opposition – should take part in
awareness-building activities. The NRSC should convene more frequently, leading
to better policymaking, programme implementation, and monitoring. Multi-ministry
coordination and collaboration amongst Ministries of Health, Home and Road
Transport is crucial for reaching all segments of the population for awareness
building.

(v) Road safety is a continuous process. It is important to give a face to the

comprehensive road safety activities. NRSC could be the nodal organisation for
improving the road safety situation in the country through an oversight on the
Comprehensive Plan of Action. A Standing Committee of the NRSC could meet
once a quarter with a dedicated cell of officers drawn from Police, Road Transport
and Health Departments and NGOs/social activists working on road safety. The

20
 dedicated cell would ensure better accountability, efficiency and coordination.
NRSC should be a highly publicised body with an interactive website so that it
provides a platform which could be accessed by everyone/anyone who has a
suggestion for enhancing road safety scenario. NRSC should also coordinate with
State transport and home departments and other relevant organisations on a regular
basis. The Tamil Nadu model is a good one (annexure IV).

(vi) State and District Road Safety Councils need to be constituted/activated at the State
level. These Councils would have representatives from all stake-holders. This is a
ubiquitous problem and needs to be legislated and compliance reporting system
should be included. Unfortunately, often the Councils do not meet regularly.

(vii) The State Council could act as the nodal agency at state level to coordinate amongst
district councils, PWD, health department, education department, police and
transport enforcement department and local governments.

(viii) This Council to chalk out the annual activity plan for districts and allocate budgets.

(ix) 50 percent of all fines collected should be devoted to road safety activities, which
should be legislated so that it becomes mandatory for States to adopt. Data available
on fines as reported by States/UTs for the years ending March, 31, 2008 and 2009
are given in Annexure VI.

(x) A separate Road Safety Education and Awareness Fund needs to be created, which
would be solely used for this purpose, in partnership with the government,
corporate, voluntary organisations, etc. Possible sources of funding: Share of fines,
and voluntary contributions from insurance companies, automobile companies, tyre
companies, private hospitals; small cess levied on highway toll charges; by
earmarking 1 per cent of total cess on diesel and petrol; re-allocation of unspent
funds of transport/urban departments; cess on motor insurance premium and /or
fuel sales; 2 percent on automobile sale etc.

(xi) The MV Act needs to be amended to ensure that the Road Safety Awareness Fund is
created at the Centre and in all States, as mentioned above and be dedicated to
awareness generation and outreach programmes. Such a Fund should not be
available to carry out engineering and other works which should come out of the
regular budgets of the State Governments. Secondly, the law should enable the Fund
to receive voluntary contributions from firms engaged in automobile related activities
such automobile manufacturers, insurance companies, tyre companies, etc.

(xii) The business sector (e.g., banks, insurance companies, manufacturers of

automobiles, auto-components, tyres and distributors) can be invited to invest in
road safety as part of their corporate social responsibility and/or marketing and
public relations strategies. For example, Shell India has established the Shell
Foundation and Volvo of Sweden the Volvo Foundation to support road safety
activities. All firms involved with roads should be encouraged to establish such
Corporate Social Responsibility activities. Insurance companies in India have also
funded development of RSE materials. Businesses may be willing to finance

21
 publication costs in return for sponsorship credit or company logos printed on the
publications.

(xiii) Road accidents afflict urban areas, especially metros and the second rung cities in
India. Therefore, it is imperative to earmark a certain proportion of funds out of
JNNURM projects for road safety at the State level.

(xiv) Insurance laws should also be modified so that the person who causes the accident
has to bear a certain proportion of insurance claim, depending on severity of
negligence. The laws should provide higher compensation to the injured (as against
to the next of kin of the dead) who get disabled for life and become a burden on the
society and their families.

(xv) Road safety policy is needed for all large fleet owners, such as firms, State Road
Transport Undertakings, tour operators, etc. Organisations should also be asked to
draw up proper Road Safety Policy for employees, based on guidelines given by
MORTH like use of seatbelts, non-usage of mobiles while driving, sober driving,
etc., similar to the policies which they have on work ethics and safety in work space.

(xvi) There is need for setting up a number licences, introduce refresher trainings and
eliminate fake certificates to promote quality driving parameters of model drivers’
training schools and other training institutes under PPP model; make simulators
training compulsory at the time of renewal of driving.

4.2 On Road Safety Education – What and How?

Based on geographical and socio-economic conditions, key factors responsible for road accidents
should be identified and awareness and education programmes should be planned in a focussed
manner and launched. This is a non-exhaustive list of activities:

(i) RSE should focus on providing adequate procedural information and training on an
immediate after-accident plan, ‘Victim support during Golden Hour’, which should
include measures such as informing police, ambulance, basic first aid, paramedic aid,
etc.

(ii) Traffic police should also be given exposure and training round the year on Road
Safety.

(iii) Organise RSE programmes where both States and NGOs would be involved.

(iv) State Road Transport Undertakings, city transporters and other large fleet owners
should have mandatory training on RSE.

(v) Questions related to road safety should be included in job competitive exams at
central as well as state level, particularly for transport and enforcement personnel.

(vi) Testimonials of road accident victims should be made into short video clips of 20
seconds duration which could be telecast on television, cinema halls, schools and

22
 colleges, organisations and corporate offices. The films could focus on the
repercussions of drunken driving, high speed driving, negligent and rash driving,
non-use of helmets, use of mobiles which driving, road construction defects and
overloading.

(vii) Road safety issues on social networking sites, as already being done by many
government departments along with FM radio, TV and printed media could also be
promoted.

(viii) An effective communication strategy on Road Safety would need services of Brand
Ambassadors to spread the message of road safety. In this context, for example,
eminent sports and film personalities could be tapped. In addition, interesting
campaigns can also be run like gold medallist boxer, Vijendra Singh’s campaign on
blood donation.

(ix) Evidence-based RSE programmes should aim to generate quantitative goals in terms
of bringing down accident rates in the next five years. Research programmes will,
therefore, be needed to be done by dedicated institutions like CRRI, IRTE etc and
NGOs to be funded through the proposed Road Safety and Awareness Fund.

(x) RSE should be part of a Value/Life Education Programme in schools and colleges
which should be promoted through activities such as mass rallies, quiz, drawing and
essay competitions and certification. This should be combined with free distribution
of films and booklets on road safety, mandatory, cautionary and informative signage,
informative boards along the roads, development of road safety parks and multiple
road safety weeks in a year.

(xi) RSE seminars need to be organised, with participation from NRSC, Indian Roads
Congress, Central Road Research Institute, National Institute for Training of
Highway Engineers, Central Institute of Road Transport, Road Transport Offices,
educational boards, University Grants Commission and NGOs.

(xii) Road safety slogans should be displayed on every vehicle. Road safety slogans could
also be in the form of SMS to mobile phones and caller tunes.

(xiii) Parent-Teacher Associations could be involved in Road Safety Awareness

programmes for students.

(xiv) Authorities/departments/corporate/media/individual to be awarded for their

outstanding performance at state level.

(xv) Especially for rural areas, where illiteracy is high, road signage should be designed
professionally and targeted at hot spots/accident prone spots.

23
4.3 Short-term and Long-term Plans

To achieve the goals and targets set, the recommendations made have been further divided
broken up into short term and long-term plans.

All the schemes/activities suggested may be delivered through public-private partnership mode. In
this endeavour, vehicle manufacturers, auto component industries, oil marketing companies,
insurance and commercial banks which finance purchase of vehicles may be roped into partnership.
The other stake-holders could be government departments like State Road Transport Undertakings,
public health, transport departments, public works department (PWD) and education (State
education and research institutes). Remuneration/honorarium to persons imparting RSE would be
as per extant rules.

4.3.1 Short Term/Immediate plans

S.N Activity proposed Time Plan

1 Targeting illiterate heavy vehicle drivers, as nearly 80 Programmes to be prepared and
percent accidents are caused by drivers’ fault, while launched through cooperation with
68 percent of accidents take place on highways. To truck drivers and fleet owners
be done along with enforcement activities as a
disincentive measure.
2 Review and research of current RSE practices and 2 months to identify 4 to 5 sites in
responsibilities. RSE provided by schools, police, or
one town/city. To begin with, 35
NGOs should be assessed in the light of accident cities in the country which have
data and recent trends to identify priority areas and
population of over one million
opportunities for improvement. would be taken up.
3 Identification of immediate improvements required For example, visit of the road
in the current system by the education and safety victims to the schools and
implementing agencies. To enable RSE to continue lectures by them could be one
in a more effective manner, while more number of immediate activity - one week per
new and substantial programmes are needed, short- school. One better example is
term improvements to the existing system should be training of senior school students
undertaken. and college students on
‘administration of first aid’ to
accident victims. But this should
not be confined only to schools
and colleges.
4 Introduction of RSE pilot projects in rural areas. One month in one village----in 144
Areas where road accidents are a serious problem districts
should be targeted first. Local expertise should be
developed. Villages near National Highways and
State Highways which are accident-prone should be
selected under these pilot projects.
5 Development of RSE school curriculum as part of a 1. Six months for development of
package on Life/Value Education. To ensure that curriculum
relevant road safety skills are taught to each age 2. Field testing--six months
group in a structured way, schools could develop

24
 their curriculum and plans in association with other
part of the package, such as environment, consumer
and health issues.

Since the traffic circumstances and problems faced

by children of localities and states are very different,
local material need to be developed. Although these
may be based on principles and materials from
developed countries, they will need to be adapted to
reflect the needs, problems, and circumstances
relevant to local children.
6. Development of basic classroom materials and 1. Six months for development of
teachers' guides. classroom material based on
curriculum developed
2. Field testing-- six months
7 Improvement and inclusion in teacher training.
Improvement and inclusion of road safety lessons in
teacher training courses with separate programmes
for teachers training. Also need to target nursing
schools to impart education on life saving practices.
8 Introduction of community education initiatives. To ensure One month in each village in 144
road safety and other socially relevant messages districts.
reach children, who are unable to attend school on a
regular basis, and to educate the community, the
parents and older generations, community education
programmes such as rallies, street plays, puppet
shows, etc. need to be developed to be part of RSE.
9 Formation and involvement of Community Groups: These One month at each point of city
Community groups could be involved to identify
places for constructing footpaths and medians on
important roads, local residential areas, near schools
and hospitals. Enforcement could be made more
effective by encouraging voluntary organisations and
their involvement.
10 Media Sensitisation workshops: Promote Media co- 1. Yearly
operation and participation to disclose the pathetic
road scenario and highlight outstanding road safety
initiatives through responsive and objective
reporting. 2. Half-yearly
11 Health checkups: Periodic eye/health check ups of Six camps in a year in each state.
drivers should be conducted.
12 Appointing Road Safety Ambassadors from Continuing
celebrities. Preparing campaigns in line with “Polio
Eradication Programme” or “Jago Grahak Jago” or
Blood donation or male sterilisation
13 Involving schools and colleges in traffic Continuing
management, targeted at plus-1 stage at schools and

25
 first and second year college students as they do not
face the burden of appearing for final exams.
14 Sending messages to mobile users Continuing
15 Organising quiz/road show/rallies etc. Continuing
16 Using popular medium such as electronic media Continuing
17 All States to appoint a Road Safety Commissioner One time
18 In MORTH, to appoint a Joint Secretary to oversee One time
all programmes on Road Safety to oversee the
implementation of the Comprehensive Plan of
Action

4.3.2. Long Term Road Map, to be considered along with the proposed recommendations

S.No. Activity Time Plan

1 Prioritising Road Safety On a quarterly basis
To prioritise road safety in enforcement,
engineering and emergency care, regular
sensitisation activities should be undertaken for all
stakeholders as given in the recommendations.
2 Periodical Review of Statistics Half-yearly
Accident statistics should be periodically reviewed
and made public to understand the impact of
actions taken. Corrective steps should be taken
based on these reviews.
3 Involvement and Co-operation between Insurance
Corporates and Government Continuing
Insurance agencies to be involved in rewarding,
and penalising the vehicle owners, which will
change the driver behaviour. At the same time, it
could provide feedback to government on
regenerative crash trends and outcomes to assist in
the further development of road safety policy.
4 Promote Public-Private Partnerships between Continuing
Manufactures, Insurance Companies, Private hospitals,
and Governments
5 Promoting Public Transportation Continuing
Increase slow/no vehicle zone in cities, which are
a part of JNNURM and promote means of public
transportation.
6 Adopting IT related approach in changing scenario. Continuing

Given the magnitude of the task related to road safety, it would be appropriate to allocate 20 percent
of the total budget of the Central Government for the road transport sector to road safety and
another 5 percent to data and road safety related research studies. For the activities proposed above,
the budget needs to be worked out and charged to the Road Safety Fund in each State/UT.

26
Chapter 5: Road Map to Achieve Goals by 2020  
Road Safety Policy 2011-2020

Goals
1. Reduction of accidents
2. Adoption of Road Accident Data Management System by all States to improve the dodgy
Data Reporting System
3. Develop a Road Safety Communication Strategy to promote road safety awareness among
children, students, public and focused groups
4. Provide emergency care in Golden Hour
5. Reduce fatal accidents
6. Identification and improvement of all black spots
7. Provide quality training to drivers
8. Ensure all categories of drivers to have refresher training and promote quality driving
parameter among drivers
9. Address rural-urban divide
10. Innovate methods for funding of road safety activities
11. Develop public private partnership in securing the goals of road safety
12. Strengthen institutional mechanism, laws and their enforcement

Roadmap: Goals, Targets and Indicators

For Road Safety Education: 2011-2020

Goals and Targets Indicators for monitoring progress

Goal 1: Reduction of accidents
Target 1 : To reduce the accidents by half in Every year monitor the data of total accidents,
2020 with base year 2010 per 10,000 vehicle and see whether there is any reduction
population 1.1. Statements of year-wise total accidents to be
gathered from all the States
1.2 Assess the improvement is the data
reporting system every two years
Target 2 : To reduce fatal accidents by half Every year monitor the data of total accidents,
in 2020 with base year 2010 per 10,000 vehicle and see whether any reduction
population 1.3 Statements of year-wise total accidents to be
gathered from all the States.
Goal 2: Adoption of Road Accident Data Management System by all States to improve
the Dodgy Data Reporting System

Target 1: Installation of RADMS in all 2.1 Number of States in which accident data
States management system introduced and
operationalised.
2.2 Monitor how many personnel are trained IN

27
 Goals and Targets Indicators for monitoring progress
Target 2: Training of staff to use the system RADMS in every state
efficiently
Goal 3: Develop a Road Safety Communication Strategy to promote road safety awareness
among children, students, public and focussed groups
Target 1: Decide the number of schools to 3.1 Monitoring the number of schools covered
be covered. every year
Target 2: Decide the number of colleges to 3.2 Monitoring the number of colleges covered
be covered every year
Target 3: Decide the number of persons (in 3.3 Support received from the public
Millions) to be covered during
campaign/meeting /rallies
Target 4: Accident prone areas to be 3.4 The number of areas to be identified and
identified and people at the higher levels of awareness to be created
education, including schools, colleges to be
covered.
Target 5: First-aid/training to be given to
3.5 The increasing number of first-aid training
college students, public, traffic police and
centers, increased coverage of schools/college
NGOs including Nursing students, traffic police, NGOs
and interested citizens
Target 6: Dissemination through print 3.6 How frequently is the citizen being
media, electronic media, celebrity facilitated/exposed with RSE messages
endorsement and appropriate use of road 3.7 Whether the content is legible, in regional
signage throughout the country language and consonant with culture, geography
of the region
3.8 Measure change in citizens’ perception on road
safety
Goal 4: Provide Emergency care in Golden Hour
Target 1: Dissemination of knowledge 4.1 Increase in the number of persons trained in
about trauma care trauma care

Target 2: Training to cover medical and 4.2 Increase in the number of medical and
paramedical staff in emergency care paramedical staff trained in trauma care.
Target 3: Educate the public about trauma 4.3 Increase in the number of public meetings
care and the availability of first aid facilities and campaigns conducted.
(gather data from all states.)
Goal 5 : Reduce Fatal Accidents
Target 1: Reduce the number of deaths by 5.1 Reduction in number of fatal accidents and
half in all the States by 2020 taking base year as fatalities.
2010 (gather data from all states)
Target 2: (Linked Goal) To achieve 5.2 Data of death rate per 10,000 vehicles to be
reduction of fatality rates taking into account examined every year
the decadal factor

28
 Goals and Targets Indicators for monitoring progress
Goal 6: Awareness about Identification and Improvement of all black spots

Target 1: Improving the information and 6.1 Number of black spots identified and
knowledge about the black spots reduction in the number of road accidents as
compared to the previous time period.
Target 2: Identify and collect all relevant data 6.2 Reduction in the number of black spots as
from all States an impact of remedial measures
Target 3: Better co-ordination between inter- 6.3 Proper/successful completion of Project.
departments to achieve targets and goals
Target 4: Database to be created exclusively 6.4 Number of States in which accident data
for black spots at the national level management system introduced and
operationalised
Target 5: Road Safety cell may be created in
all the States
Goal 7: Provide quality training to drivers
Target 1: The number of driving schools and 7.1 Increasing trend of total number of driving
other training institutes to be increased schools which impart training.
Target 2: Fake certificates to be eliminated 7.2 The number of fake certificates eliminated
Target 3: Simulator training should be made 7.3 The increased coverage in simulator training
compulsory at the time of renewal of driving
licenses
Target 4: Heavy vehicle drivers who are to be 7.4 The number of persons covered under
given refresher training in the driving institute refresher training
before renewal of licences
Goal 8: Ensure all categories of drivers to have refresher training and promote quality
driving parameters
Target 1: Nation-wide scientifically designed 8.1 Increase in the number of scientifically
testing tracks should be set-up in all Transport designed testing tracks in all States
Offices in all the States
Target 2: Public Private Partnership to 8.2 The number of Public Private Partnership
enhance the quality of drivers which have been successfully
executed/implemented
Target 3: Training to be given to all drivers of 8.3 Number of drivers trained
transport and non-transport by reputed
sponsors
Goal 9: Address Rural-Urban Divide
9.1The number of rural hot spots rectified
Target 1: Identify the hot spots on the state
highways in the rural areas and address their
9.2 The number of accidents decreased in such
remediation
areas
Target 2: Undertake tailor made projects for
9.3 Monitor the number and progress of tailor-
rural areas in all states to identify and address
made projects undertaken during this period
their specific and local problems

29
 Goals and Targets Indicators for monitoring progress
Goal 10: Innovate New Methods for Funding of State Road Safety Activities

Target 1: Creation of Road Safety Education

and Awareness Funds in all states with
possible sources of funding: share of traffic
violation fines, contribution by relevant 10.1. Number of State Road Safety Education and
business; small cess levied on highway toll Awareness Funds created
charges; by earmarking 1 per cent of total
cess on diesel and petrol; re-allocation of 10.2 Review of sourcing methods adopted by
unspent funds of transport/urban States and enabling changes adopted by them.
departments; cess on motor insurance
premium and/or fuel sales; 2 percent on
automobile sale
Target 2: Make enabling provisions in 10.3 New enabling provisions made in the MV
Motor Vehicles Act , 1988 Act, 1988.
Goal 11: Develop Public Private Partnership in securing the goals of road safety
Target 1: Identify the number of Public 11.1 Increase in the number of PPP Projects
Private Partnership to create more awareness
of road among all segments of public
Target 2 : All States to encourage such Public 11.2 The increasing number of Public Private
Private Partnership Partnership executed and successfully completed
Target 3 : Skills development of all categories
of drivers
Goal 12: Strengthen institutional mechanism, laws and their enforcement

Target 1: Reactivate the nodal agency NRSC 12.1 Periodic review of the SCRS’ functioning
and constitute State Level Road Safety by NRSC, the nodal agency
Councils and a Road Safety Commissioner in
every state. Also a Joint Secretary (Road
Safety) in MoRTH
Target 2: Legislative backups to make RSCs
effective with powers to oversee and monitor
compliance of RSE related activities and
enabling provisions to creation of funds

Make the person responsible for accident bear

certain portion of insurance claim and higher
compensation to the injured who gets disabled
for life
Target 3: Multi-ministry Coordination and
collaboration among ministries of Health,
Home and Road Transport

30
6. Conclusion 
This report has identified and chalked out the RSE goals and targets to be achieved by 2020, and the
road map towards achieving it, which is the highlight of this report. The road-map provides the
milestones, and the detailed recommendations elaborate on how to achieve the target through short
term and long-term plans. The problematic issues which hinder RSE have also been presented.

The Working Group believes that even if these targets/milestones are achieved, we be able to make
effective contribution to the road safety scenario in India.

Some of the expected results are:

I. Awareness and Behavioural Changes

• increased awareness and knowledge of the traffic environment.
• appropriate survival skills necessary for the safe use of the road environment.
• better understanding of the behaviour and attitudes that have influence on road safety.
• increased knowledge and understanding of how humans, vehicles, and systems interact and
work.

II. Drivers-related
• extremely helpful to recognise the fast developments taking place in vehicle technologies,
which would require a paradigm shift in the driver training approach and teaching methods
in times to come.
• greater strictness in issue of licenses would come into force.
• improvements in pre-test training methods incorporating all relevant aspects related to
driver, vehicle and environment.
• introduction of post-test training, particularly for novice drivers.

III. Outcomes
• decision-making skills that will enable citizens to make choices and to take responsibility for
their own safety and that of others.
• reduction in accident numbers.
• respect and care for other road users.
• knowledge and understanding of the causes and consequences of road accidents.
• necessary knowledge, understanding and skills to travel safely in or on a vehicle, while
showing consideration for others.
• beneficial to society in aspects such as skills for self-assessment and evaluation, driver
attitudes and overconfidence, motivation, individual needs and lifestyle, etc.

31
 Annexure I 
 
Working Group on Road Safety Education 

In pursuance of the decision taken in the meeting of the 12th National Road Safety Council
(NRSC) held on 25.03.2011, it was decided with the approval of the competent authority to
constitute separate working groups on each of the four Es of Road Safety, viz. (i) Education (ii)
Enforcement (iii) Engineering and (iv) Emergency Care. Each of these Working Groups would
deliberate in detail and submit their recommendations on short-term and long-term measures for
immediate implementation so as to curb road accident in the country.

This is the report of the Working Group on Road Safety Education (RSE), which comprised
the following members:

Shri Pradeep S. Mehta, Secretary General, Consumer Unity & Trust Society
(CUTS) Chairman

Dr. M. Rajaram, Transport Commissioner, Tamil Nadu Member

(Member till 11.05.2011)

Shri Prince Singhal, Founder, Member

Community Against Drunken Driving, Delhi

Shri Vinayak N. Revankar, National Road Safety Council & President

Kolhapur Member

Shri Pramod Bhasin, President, Muskan, Rajasthan Member

(Member till 11.05.2011)

Dr. Keya Ghosh, Head, CUTS, Kolkata and Environment Expert Member
(Co-opted by Chairman)
Shri Amar Deep Singh Cheema, Chairman Member
Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan
Shri E. Daniel Raju, Assistant Education Officer Member
Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi
Shri Chandmal Parmar, Chairman & Managing Trustee Member
Kumari Rajshree Parmar Foundation, Pune
(From 11.05.2011)

Sh. S.Murugaia, Transport Commissioner, Tamil Nadu Special Invitee

(From 02.07.2011)

Arvind Kumar, Adviser, Transport Research Wing Convenor

Ministry of Road Transport & Highways

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 The Terms of Reference of each of the Working Groups were:

(i) Each Working Group will define the respective problematic area (with reference to road safety)
and lay out the macro and micro dimensions with potential solutions.

(ii) Suggest strategic steps for immediate implementation.

(iii) To identify critical issues.

(iv) To fix the targets and goals, both short-term and long-term ones, which could be implementable
within the available manpower, resources and existing system.

(ii) To suggest best practices being followed by various Organisations, NGOs, State Governments
and other countries in effectively controlling road accidents.

(v) Cross linkage with other Working Groups.

The Working Group on RSE held six meetings and deliberated on all issues having a bearing on
RSE and its linkages. The Working Group commends this report to the Government for adoption.
The Working Group worked on a tight three month deadline and with limited human and financial
resources. However, this report can become a road map to construct a more comprehensive report
and a plan of action for the whole road safety programme of the country.

The Working Group would also like to thank Ms Ishita G. Tripathy, Joint Director of the Transport
Research Wing of the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and the Wing’s support staff who
assisted the working group without any difficulties, including working on weekends.

Pradeep S Mehta, Chairman

Chandmal Parmar
Amardeep Singh Cheema
Vinayak N. Revankar
S. Murugaia,
Keya Ghosh
Prince Singhal
E. Daniel Raju
Arvind Kumar, Member
Convenor

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 Annexure II 
 
Examples of Some Good Practices from Across the World 
Country Good Practices
Bangladesh The Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed, has begun sending current
and former patients who were hurt in road accidents to visit schools and discuss
their tragic experience. The centre has also produced road safety advice leaflets,
which it distributes to schools. Promotion of road safety through NGOs is the
objective of a recent World Bank initiative in Bangladesh.
Fiji Has recently introduced traffic safety in the curriculum. A teachers' guide is
being developed and the NRSC in association with the Department of
Education is introducing a number of initiatives, including inviting drama
groups to present plays for school children and development of a road safety
character called "Road Ranger" to provide safety advice.
Kazakhastan The traffic police are active in the organisation of road safety lessons by
teachers in the schools. Parents are also involved by being tested on their road
safety knowledge. Parents are requested to help their children identify and map
out a safe route to school.
Nepal A RSE project funded by the Overseas Development Administration (ODA) of
the United Kingdom (UK) has produced local RSE materials, including readers,
workbooks, posters, and teachers’ guides. Puppet shows are used to introduce
the topic of RSE in primary schools as well as women's groups and roadside
communities.
Denmark A team of people crippled in road accidents visit schools as part of an RSE
programme.
US Mothers Against Drunk Drivers often send representatives to schools to speak,
especially to students in the age groups where they are starting to drive.
Sweden Fleet safety is part of quality management of the transport component of the
enterprise (whether government or private). Quality assurance of transport aims
to ensure that people and goods arrive at the right place, at the right time and in
the right way (i.e., without danger of serious injury or damage to the goods or
the environment). Thus, there is a linking of road safety and environmental
outcomes. There is an emphasis on ensuring through education the quality of
outsourced transport as well as the use of owned vehicles.
Austria Awareness activities along with political will have created several no-vehicle
zones.

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 Annexure III 
 
Cross Linkages with other Working Groups 
RSE will critically depend upon a holistic approach along with other strategies. A few thoughts:

Enforcement:
• Often the fear of a stick works wonders; hence enforcement activities should be linked with
incentivising road users to be disciplined.
• Using reflectors on slow moving vehicles often becomes vital in avoiding accidents, but the
tendency is not to use them because of lack of enforcement.
• Helmets for riders and pillion riders too can save many lives, but owing to the lack of
enforcement the rule is often practised in the breach. Similarly, overloading of two wheelers
and use of mobile phones while driving are other problems.
• Allowing the right vehicles for transportation of passengers is also a crucial issue. In its
absence, all types of unfit vehicles ply on our roads overloaded with passengers, which often
result in accidents.
• A one-time third party insurance premium can be collected on the lines of life-time road tax.
• Set up a board for speedy resolution of claims.
• Swift relief for ‘hit and run’ cases.

Emergency care:
• Providing immediate succour to road accident victims during the first hour is crucial and
hence application of medico-legal provisions should be done in a friendly manner.
• Availability of ambulances, treatment facilities and cranes to remove wrecked vehicles can
also be a contributory factor in saving lives.

Engineering
• Improvement in road design and particularly the provision of zebra crossings, and
encouraging people to use them.
• Vehicle design keeping in mind gathered experience is also crucial in saving lives.
• Technocrats’ role in road construction, development, planning, traffic management etc., is
crucial, thus they should act as the nodal agency.

35
 Annexure IV 
 
Curbing Road Accidents: Initiatives of Government of Maharashtra 
In 1997, the Government of Maharashtra appointed the Accident Prevention Committee under the
Chairmanship of Shri S.R.Tambe, Former Secretary, Public Works Department, to reduce road
accidents occurring due to shortcomings in roads by suggesting remedial measures. For each
accident case recorded in police stations, the exact location of the accidents, the type of vehicles
involved in accidents, the number of persons killed and injured in the accident and the probable
causes of the accidents are studied. The spots where accidents occur frequently are identified as
accident-prone spots. These spots are inspected by the Committee, the probable causes of the
accidents are analysed and preventive remedial measures are suggested. For suggesting remedial
measures, the view points of the local people and also those of PWD members are incorporated.
Further, any spot which appears dangerous is also identified by the Committed. Despite the
Committees’ terms of reference being limited to overcoming deficiencies in roads as a cause of road
accidents, the Committee made recommendations spanning across all four Es. The
recommendations pertaining to education related to road safety are enlisted below:

• The uniforms of school children should be of bright colour so that they can be seen from a
distance by drivers.
• Students should be advised regarding road safety for 5-10 minutes daily in school.

Box: Manav Mitra Award

The Foundation, Kumari Rajashree Parmar Memorial Foundation, Pune, considering the
reluctance and uncooperative attitude of society in helping road accident victims has started
to encourage the society by giving awards to those members of the society who act as good
Samaritans by helping accident victims in the hour of need. These Samaritans are people
who provide help to the road accident victims by taking them to the nearest hospital and
providing immediate medical assistance to the road accident victims and helping in saving
the life of the victim. Every year on 17/18 November the Samaritan is felicitated with an
award and a citation. In the citation, the work done by the Samaritan is read out to the
society for his/her excellent services. This encourages the society. So far, the Foundation
has given 98 awards.

36
 Annexure V 
 
Institutional Set Up in Tamil Nadu to Address Road Safety Issues 
Institutional Mechanism for Road Safety

The Central Government already has a National Road Safety Council (NRSC) which advises on all
matters pertaining to planning and coordination of policies and standards of safety in Road
Transport Sector. NRSC was established under Section 215 of MV Act, 1988 and is chaired by
Minister (RT&H) with Minister-in-Charge of Road Transport of States/UTs, DG Police of all States
and also representatives from various Ministries/Departments. Under Section 215 of Motor
Vehicles Act, 1988, a State Government by notification in Official Gazette can constitute a State
Road Safety Council comprising a chairman and such other members as the Government considers
necessary and on such terms and conditions that Government may determine. Similarly, there is
also a provision for District Road Safety Committee for each district.

The Government of Tamil Nadu has constituted a 19-member apex body known as “State Road
Safety Council’, entrusted with the policy making in the year 2007 under the Chairmanship of
Minister for Transport with the members: Chief Secretary to Government; Secretary to
Government, Finance Department; Secretary to Government, Home, Prohibition and Excise
Department Member; Secretary to Government, Transport Department; Secretary to Government,
Highways Department; Secretary to Government, Municipal Adm. & Water Supply Department;
Director General of Police; Additional Director General of Police (State Planning Cell);
Commissioner of Police Chennai; Member Secretary, Chennai Metropolitan Development
Authority; Commissioner, Corporation of Chennai; Director of Town and Country Planning; Joint
Transport Commissioner (Road Safety); Chief Engineer (National Highways); Chief Engineer,
Highways and Rural Works; Director, Institute of Road Transport; Director of Medical Services; and
Transport Commissioner.

This high level body meets once in three months and advises the Government on Road Safety
related issues. Transport Commissioner/Road Safety Commissioner is the Member Secretary.
In addition, Government of Tamil Nadu has constituted District Road Safety Councils since 1989
in each District under the Chairmanship of the District Collectors under Section 215 of Motor
Vehicles Act, 1988. It is a 13 member body with the following composition: District Collector;
Commissioner of Police; Superintendent of Police; Commissioners of Corporation/Commissioners
of Municipality; Managing Director of one SRTU operating in the District; Divisional Engineer
(Highways); Regional Transport Officer in the District; Deputy Director (Public Health); Deputy
Director of Town and Country Planning; Representative of Bus Owners Association or Lorry
Owners’ Association; Two representatives from reputed NGOs working in the field of Road Safety;
One Representative of Consumer Action Groups; and MLAs representing the District.

This District Road Safety Council meets once in a month and recommends the Transport
Commissioner/Government relating to Road Safety issues confronting their respective districts.
This council has been entrusted with the job of considering various measures needed to promote
Road Safety, prepare Road Safety plans with special attention to the accident prone spots/stretches,
maintenance of roads, driver’s training, accident analysis, publicity initiatives and efforts, traffic
planning, highway patrol, passenger amenities etc. in the Districts.

37
Besides, Government of Tamil Nadu has set up a Road Safety Fund administered by an Inter-
Departmental Committee on Road Safety Fund with the Principal Secretary to Government, Home
Department as its Chairperson and other members including Transport Commissioner as one its
members. These are: Secretary to Government, Home Department; Inspector General of Police
(Law and Order); Commissioner of Police; Chief Engineer, National Highways; Chief Engineer,
Highways and Rural Works; Commissioner, Corporation of Chennai; Member Secretary, Chennai
Metropolitan Development Authority; Managing Director, Chennai Metropolitan; Managing
Director, State Express Transport Corporation; Special Secretary, Finance Department; and Joint
Transport Commissioner (Road Safety).

Fund allocations for the past five years are detailed below:

Funds Allocated to Road Safety Activities

Year Amount (Rs Crore)
2007-08 6.00
2008-09 16.80
2009-10 15.00
2010-11 40.00
2011-12 40.00

During the year 2010-11, an amount of Rs 25 Crores have been earmarked under Engineering
category and Rs 15 Crores under Non-Engineering category. During the current financial year
2011-12, the very same amount (Rs 40 Crores) has been earmarked to undertake to various Road
Safety activities.

Apart from this, the State of Tamil Nadu have allotted an amount of Rs. 9.9995 Crore under the
Hon’ble Chief Minister’s Accident Relief Fund. This fund is being distributed to the District
Collectors according to the requirement so as to enable them to disburse the amount to families of
road accident victims. During the current financial year 2011-12 the same amount of Rs. 9.9995
Crore have been allotted under the said fund.

Government of Tamil Nadu has allotted Road Safety funds under Engineering and Non-
Engineering categories in order to promote the Road Safety measures in the State. Out of Rs 40
crore, Rs 25 crore have been earmarked for carrying out Engineering works like widening of
culverts, rectification of black spots, etc. and balance Rs15 crore for Non-Engineering works.

Besides, Government of Tamil Nadu has sanctioned 100 Emergency Accident Relief Centres
(EARCs) which are monitored by the Transport Department. Out of 100 centres, 88 centres are
now functioning. Of these, 66 centres are functioning on fully sponsorship basis and the remaining
22 under the partial sponsorship basis. During the year 2010-11, 3707 lives were saved by these
EARCs and during the year 2011-12 (up to May 2011), 1268 lives were saved by these EARCs.

38
 Road Accident Data Management System (RADMS) - Government of Tamil Nadu

Geographical Information System (GIS) based software called Road Accident Data Management
System (RADMS), funded by World Bank is being used for collecting, comparing and analysing road
accident data. With the Police, Highways and Transport Departments as its stakeholders, RADMS
has become a successful software being used by the State Government/Transport Commissioner
for analysing data and offering suitable remedial measures to avoid road accidents in the future.

RADMS is a comprehensive traffic-management system which helps to study and analyze road
accidents in a systematic and scientific way. The successful implementation of this project is a crucial
component of our road-safety efforts.

The three stake holder Departments are Police, Highways and Transport have access to use the data
for analyses and follow up actions in order to reduce accidents.

This software is developed by IBS software services, Kerala through a Joint Venture with M/s. VIC
Roads International Limited, Australia. Police, Transport and Highways are the major stake holders
in operationalising the RADMS. The RADMS Software has come into operation with effect from
01.01.2009 in all the designated Police Stations. These agencies work together to achieve the
common goals aimed to provide Road Safety for all. These departments use the RADMS for:
i. for making appropriate data entry relating to accidents
ii. for verification of data
iii. to ensure quality of data and
iv. to analyze the data various purpose of planning in the interest of public

All user departments like Police, Transport and Highways feed the data relating to road accidents in
the RADMS. Various components included in the RADMS are as follows:
a) Creation of GIS data base
b) Web based access and data flow
c) Seamless report generation and plotting results on maps
d) Black Spots identification and analysis for effective of Police and Transport
Departments
e) Analysis of safety scenario of the State by top management and policy makers of
the above so far creation of GIS data base above is in progress.

Under RADMS, the number of fields for data entry available to the user departments is:

i)Transport Department - 23 ii) Highways Department -14 iii) Police Department -68

39
The system has the capability to throw up an exception list monitoring the accident records in which
data entry has not been done by Highways, Transport Department, so that the same can be followed
up. Following are the exception types:
i. Show a persistent alert message till action is taken
ii. Create Pendency reports
iii. Send automatic emails to designated Assistant Divisional Engineer (Highways) / RTO
iv. Escalation mechanism connected to duration of pendency (up to Chairman, District
Road Safety Council)

There are twelve types of reports available in RADMS for analysis and suggestion of remedial
measures provided which are as follows;
i. Driver report - This report is generated based on the driver details
that are captured in the accident report (AR)
ii. Vehicle report - It is generated based upon the vehicle details that
are captured in the AR.
iii. Road report - It shows the details of the roads
iv. Yearly report - Giving idea about annual statistics of road
accidents
v. Enforcement - Useful for planning and implementing, planning
report enforcement for reducing accidents
vi. Collision type - This shows a number of accidents of different report
severities and number of persons killed and injured according
to the nature of accidents
vii. Time period report - Shows the time-interval wise comparison of number
of accidents of each severity, landmarks between two selected
dates
viii. Alcohol usage report - Shows the number of accidents which are due to
drunken nature of driver/passenger/ pedestrians
ix. Person report - Reports based on the details captured about the
persons involved in accidents
x. Land mark report - Shows the number of accidents of each severity,
and number of persons killed or injured according to the
landmarks
xi. Weather report - Provision shows the number of accidents of each
severity, and the number of persons killed or injured as a
result of poor weather conditions
xii. General report - There are eight reports in this category with
different parameters like accident severity, location,
education, etc.

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 Annexure VI 
 
State‐Wise Fines Collected From Road Transport Sector 
(Rs. In Lakhs) 
 
S.# States/UTs 2007-08 2008-09
1 Andhra Pradesh 11,176.0 16,818.0
2 Assam 2,407.0 1,759.0
3 Chhattisgarh 4,720.0 5,511.0
4 Gujarat 27,145.3 29,531.7
5 Himachal Pradesh 598.7 847.1
6 Jammu & Kashmir 668.8 823.5
7 Karnataka 4,290.9 5,550.4
8 Kerala 2,049.5 2,444.1
9 Maharashtra 26,911.6 28,126.3
10 Manipur 5.8
11 Meghalaya 276.1 287.4
12 Orissa 448.7 836.0
13 Rajasthan 19,732.1 19,523.1
14 Sikkim 90.5 112.9
15 Tamil Nadu 3,736.0 4,052.0
16 Tripura 1,247.6 1,381.0
17 Uttarakhand 94.5 98.8
18 Uttar Pradesh 8,815.0 11,326.0
19 Chandigarh 7.2 6.5
20 Daman & Diu 3.5 3.3
21 Puducherry 32.0 34.2
Total 114,456.7 129,072.2

41