On Thursday, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari stated that the number of road accidents in India has increased and that in order for things to go better, people’s behavior needs to change.
He also emphasized that when he first assumed office as minister of road transport and highways, he set a target to reduce accidents by 50%.
According to PTI, Gadkari stated, “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”.
In response to a follow-up question during Question Hour, the minister stated that in order for things to become better, Indian society, human behavior, and the rule of law must all change.
According to Gadkari, traffic accidents kill 1.78 lakh people nationwide each year, with 60% of the deaths being between the ages of 18 and 34.
In Uttar Pradesh, he claimed, more than 23,000 people have died (13.7% of all road accident deaths), followed by Tamil Nadu, which has more than 18,000 dead (10.6%). Over 15,000 deaths (or 9% of all deaths) occurred in Maharashtra, whereas over 13,000 deaths (8%) occurred in Madhya Pradesh. In cities, Delhi leads the chart with over 1,400 deaths annually, followed by Bengaluru with 915 deaths.
Gadkari added that many trucks disregard lane discipline and that truck parking on the road is a leading cause of accidents. The minister also stated that he has directed them to manufacture bus bodies in India in accordance with international norms. According to PTI, a hammer should be placed close to a bus glass so that it can be readily cracked in the event of an accident.
The union minister also mentioned that he and his family had a serious accident a few years ago, and he spent a considerable amount of time in the hospital. He said to Lok Sabha, “By the grace of God, I and my family were saved. So, I have my personal experience of accidents”.
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