Traffic In India: Crashes, Injuries, & Remedies

As the population of our country dramatically increasesthemselves cause a large number of accidents in India
and the number of vehicles on the nation's roads andtoday. Driving at night along highways that are poorly lit
highways skyrockets, new methods of traffic controland which has a regular stream of traffic without any
and organization have become necessary, by utilisingspeed limits, causes severe damage to both life and
new methods of transportation or by revising theproperty. Despite this, the government has failed to
current system. However, traveling in India is almost anincrease the number of roads and highways
hallucinatory mixture of sound and sight. It might soundproportional to the extraordinary increase of vehicles
hilarious, but when you are on the road, its extremelyon the road. Hazards to the environment also prove
dangerous. Most Indian road users observe an ancientthe necessity for more worthwhile methods of traffic
road code, which accounts for majority of roadadministration. As many more vehicles make use of
accidents which often prove fatal.In the last 5 years,our metropolitan city roads, the amount of poisonous
the number of vehicles on our roads has increasedhydrocarbons released into the atmosphere steadily
manifold and to add to this we have to give way toincreases. On the average, one out of every four
cows, elephants, buffalos, ox-carts, pigs,Indians has problems breathing during the peak
auto-rickshaws, pedal rickshaws, goats, bicycles,summer months due to the excess of smog in the
handcarts, dogs not forgetting the casual pedestrianatmosphere. Studies have shown that automobiles
too. Cars and other vehicles cause an enormousproduce the majority of this smog. Even though
expense to our society and these expenses areemission standards have become more rigid and the
mainly due to traffic accidents, traffic jams, and theuse of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) has been
environmental hazards created by the large number ofintroduced, no significant change has been observed in
vehicles on our roads. Traffic accidents account forthe reduction of environment pollution.Further, noise
one of the major reasons that the current techniquespollution from the large number of automobiles on the
of traffic control need revision.Then there is theroads also contributes to the devastation of the
Accident risk, which means - the chance of injury toenvironment. Despite the many problems that exist
yourself or others and the chance of damage towith the present systems of transportation and traffic
vehicles and property. Therefore, following the basiccontrol, numerous solutions exist that provide both
signs, signals and rules of driving can avoid this risk.efficiency and effectiveness. These include formulating
One huge risk though, is to be under the influence ofnew methods of transportation, developing better
an illegal substance or drug while driving and nothingtraffic signaling and controlling equipment, and utilising
has been done so far to stem this problem. The mostbetter techniques of highway design and
important safety tip to reduce pedestrian injuries andconstruction.Designing new types of transit provides
fatalities is to pay attention. The chances of being in aone of the most obvious and efficient approaches of
collision with a motor vehicle can significantly beimproving traffic management. In today's society, mass
reduced by obeying traffic rules and being aware ofrail transit exists as one of the most efficient and
the dangers posed by vehicles in your vicinity. Bothquickly developing techniques of enhancing the current
drivers and pedestrians have certain safetytransportation system. Many moderate to large sized
responsibilities that depend both on circumstances andcities currently offer some kind of rail transit, whether it
common sense.Apart from this, traffic jams, along withbe a subway or elevated system, and most of them
broken cars and the lack of alternate routes, accountare well-used. This could possibly be the answer to
for one half of the traffic congestion. Although thesolving our traffic problems too.On the other side of
number of traffic accidents has slowly decreasedthe spectrum, however, many new and exciting forms
over the past several years due to various projectsof technologically advanced rail transit are currently in
that have been instituted, like flyovers and the ongoingdevelopment. A MAGLEV train, or Magnetic levitation
Delhi Metro Project(i.e., with reference to the traffictrain, has recently been introduced into the
control in Delhi),the number is still alarmingly high.transportation world. Driven by powerful
Majority of deaths occur due to traffic accidents alone.electromagnets, this train levitates several inches
In addition, traffic jams also demonstrate the need forabove the track. This reduction in friction allows the
better methods of traffic management. Due to bothtrain to reach speeds upto 300 miles per hour. The
the increase of women in the work force and theintroduction of this train in India would solve our traffic
expansion of businesses to the suburbs, traffic jamsproblems considerably. However, this does not seem
have increased dramatically over the past few years.possible in the near future.
As a consequence of these traffic jams, theIn addition to rail transportation, buses represent not
population gets delayed in reaching their work spotsnecessarily a new transportation method, but certainly
which creates further worry and confusion. Anotherone that can be taken advantage of and utilized to its
negative factor is that, drivers, while waiting in theirfullest potential. One of the major advantages that
cars during traffic jams, waste gallons of gasoline,buses have over rail transit is that buses can take their
which contributes to further environmentalpassengers wherever they want to go, and routes
hazards.Road crashes are another major and growingcan easily be Changed.At present, despite adopting
cause of death and injury mainly to children. Twice asnew methods of transit, there is no particular lane
many pedestrians are killed in road crashes indiscipline, since traffic entering a road from the left has
industrializing countries than in industrialized countries.priority, so has traffic from the right, and also traffic
School children are the victims of a high proportion offrom the middle and therefore, Indian traffic at all times
these crashes. It is therefore important that childrenand irrespective of direction of travel occupy the
receive road safety education as part of theircentre of the road. Modifying the current techniques of
curriculum. Younger children are not aware of thetraffic control may exist as another solution to the
concept of danger and must learn to realize theunruly traffic problem, and another way to improve the
dangers inherent in the road environment. Educationcurrent methods of transit is by optimizing better traffic
should, therefore, be based on practical training in asignaling and controlling equipment.
realistic road environment such as training in crossingUsing better techniques of road development and
streets, crossing parked vehicles and crossing atconstruction also accounts for part of the effort to
intersections. Parental involvement is invaluable tomodify current traffic control methods.
model and reinforce road safety behaviour.Highways