He said high speed is not such a big problem as world over people drive fast. However, lane indiscipline is a bigger problem in India, the minister noted. File
| Photo Credit: AFP
Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday (December 12, 2024) said the biggest reason for road accidents is lane indiscipline and his own car was fined twice in Mumbai for not following traffic rules.
He said high speed is not such a big problem as world over people drive fast. However, lane indiscipline is a bigger problem in India, the minister noted.
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During the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Mr. Gadkari said people, especially youth, have to be educated about traffic discipline, and even children ought to be sensitised about the importance of traffic rules. He also said that CCTV cameras have been installed on roads to check traffic law violation.
The minister also appealed to the members of the House to organise sensitisation programmes in their constituencies. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also said that it is the duty of the members of the House to educate people about traffic rules so as to stop road accidents.
Gadkari on accidents: ‘I try to hide my face in meetings abroad’
“When I go to attend international conferences where there is a discussion on road accidents, I try to hide my face,” Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday, underlining he had set a target to reduce accidents by 50 per cent when he first took charge as the Road Transport and Highways Minister.
During a discussion on road accidents in Lok Sabha on Thursday, Mr. Gadkari said, “Forget about reducing the number of accidents, I have no hesitation to admit that it has been increased. When I go to attend international conferences where there is a discussion on road accidents, I try to hide my face.” He was replying to a supplementary during the Question Hour.
The minister said that for things to improve human behaviour in India has to change, society has to change and rule of law has to be respected.
Mr. Gadkari said he and his family met with a major accident some years ago and he needed to be hospitalised for a long time. “By the grace of God, I and my family were saved. So I have my personal experience of accidents.” He said parking of trucks on road is a major cause for accidents and many of the trucks don’t follow lane discipline.
He said he has ordered for following international standards in making bus body in India. There has to be a hammer near a bus window so that it can be broken easily in case of accidents, he said.
Earlier, Mr. Gadkari said road accidents claim 1.78 lakh lives annually in the country and 60 per cent of the victims are in the age group of 18-34 years.
He said while Uttar Pradesh leads the chart among states, Delhi tops the list for cities. In UP, over 23,000 people (or 13.7 per cent of the total deaths due to road accidents) died, followed by Tamil Nadu with over 18,000 (10.6 per cent) deaths.
In Maharashtra, the figure stands at over 15,000 (or nine per cent of the total deaths), followed by Madhya Pradesh with over 13,000 (eight per cent) deaths.
Delhi leads the city chart with over 1,400 deaths, followed by Bengaluru with 915 deaths. Jaipur registers 850 deaths due to road accidents.
Sixty percent of those killed in road accidents in 18-34 age group: Govt in Lok Sabha
As many as 1.78 lakh people are killed in road accidents annually in the country and 60 per cent of the victims are in the age group of 18-34 years, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari informed the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
He lamented that people do not fear the law and many drive two-wheelers without helmets and some jump the red signal.
“One unfortunate fact is that of the 1.78 lakh people dying in road accidents, 60 per cent are in the age group of 18 to 34 years. Still there is no fear of law. Some do not wear helmets, some jump red signal,” he said during the Question Hour, adding that it was a “strange” situation.
Responding to supplementaries, he said while Uttar Pradesh leads in deaths due to road accidents, in cities, Delhi tops the chart in such deaths.
In Uttar Pradesh, over 23,000 people or 13.7 per cent of the total deaths are due to road accidents followed by Tamil Nadu with over 18,000 (10.6 per cent) deaths.
In Maharashtra, the figure stands at over 15,000 or nine per cent of the total deaths, followed by Madhya Pradesh with over 13,000 (eight per cent) deaths.
In cities, Delhi leads the chart with over 1400 deaths, followed by Bengaluru with 915 deaths. Jaipur registers 850 deaths due to road accidents.
Published – December 12, 2024 05:15 pm IST
