New Delhi: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Thursday said the total number of fatalities due to road accident in the year 2021 is 1,53,972, which translates to an average of 18 deaths every hour. Replying to a question by DMK Lok Sabha MP Gnanathiraviam S on the opening day of the Monsoon Session of the Parliament, the Union Minister said Maharashtra ranked 6th in the number of road accidents and third in the number of deaths across the country as per “Road Accidents in India 2021” report.
As per the data received from police department of all the states and Union Territories for 2021, the total number of severely injured persons in road accidents were 1,72,278, the minister said, adding that as per a report titled “Socio-Economic cost of Road Accidents in India” by DIMTS in association with TRIPP-IIT Delhi, the socio-economic costs of road accidents is around 3.14% of the nation’s GDP.
He further said the Road Transport Ministry has formulated a multi-pronged strategy to address the issue of road safety based on education, engineering, enforcement and emergency care.
He informed that in a bid to create effective public awareness about road safety, the Ministry has undertaken various measures and awareness campaigns through the social media, electronic media and print media. Moreover, the ministry administers a scheme to provide financial assistance to various agencies towards Road Safety Advocacy.
Gadkari also informed that safety has been made an integral part of road design at
the planning stage. Road Safety Audit (RSA) of all National Highways (NHs) has been
made mandatory through third party auditors and experts at all stages, that is design, construction, operation and maintenance.
As far as vehicle engineering is concerned, the ministry notified the mandatory provision of an airbag for the passenger seated on the front seat of a vehicle, next to the driver, Gadkari said.