Size calls the shots on Indian roads

Size calls the shots on Indian roads

Apparently, India lacks a traffic culture that is sensitive to millions of pedestrians, rickshaw drivers and two-wheeler riders who constitute a majority of road-users.

Apparently, India lacks a traffic culture that is sensitive to millions of pedestrians, rickshaw drivers and two-wheeler riders who constitute a majority of road-users.

Jungle Raj

Drivers of big vehicles act as if they own the road with pedestrians and cyclists bearing the brunt of this ``jungle raj’’. Till such time as our behaviour on roads while riding or driving reeks of insensitivity to fellow road users, the Indian traffic news can only be depressing.
No wonder, India accounts for 10 out of every 100 deaths in road accidents worldwide though it has just one percent of the world’s vehicle population. At least, 215 persons die on Indian roads every day but precious little has been done to check this dismal trend.

Attitude counts

When it comes to world traffic news, Nordic countries, for instance, are known for their low road death rates. Their low population level, no doubt, contributes to this trend. But ultimately, it is the attitude that counts. Commuters there respect fellow-road users. Most automobile drivers will stop their vehicles if they see someone waiting to cross the road. Is something like that possible in India?

At many places in the US, if a school bus stops, all traffic behind it automatically grinds to a halt. On the other hand, the rising number of accidents in India involving school children tells its own tale.

Over the last 50 years, India's automobile population has grown 170 times while the road infrastructure has expanded only nine times. The country's vehicle population is over 5.5 crore and growing at a phenomenal rate of 25 lakh every year. Negotiating through such messy roads can be nerve-racking.

Mayhem on the streets

Just scan Kolkata traffic news. Almost all vehicles there are so severely dented that most look like battered tin boxes. In fact, some Kolkatans fold up their rear view mirrors to ensure that other vehicles don’t hit or break them. Even at busy crossings, there are no traffic signals. The lone traffic cop has to use all his faculties to get some semblance of order.
The local and suburban rails and buses as well as the underground Kolkata Metro railway are jam-packed during office hours with the practice of "reserving" public seats by daily passengers rampant. Car pools have become popular after the construction of the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass. But rallies, which are a regular feature, in this Left bastion, make the hapless commuter’s plight worse.

Less congestion

Down south in Chennai, the latest traffic news is marginally better. A good public transport system ensures that it is relatively less congested than other Indian metros.

Nevertheless, the number of deaths due to traffic accidents has showed an upward trend with 692 people having lost their lives on the roads this year till July. The growth of vehicle population is pegged at 12 percent and road accidents may increase simultaneously making Chennai traffic news bleaker than in previous years.

About Author

Tapan is an associated editor to the website:IndianTrafficNews.com - The Latest Traffic News Portal. Indian Traffic News is committed to provide visitors with complete information on Road accidents, city specific news like Delhi traffic news, Bangalore traffic news Latest traffic news, and its related topics.

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