COST-EFFECTIVE ROAD SAFETY COUNTER-MEASURES FOR METROPOLITAN CITIES OF INDIA

About 15% of the very high rate of road fatalities in India are in metropolitan cities and the rate of fatalities is rising in all cities (except Bombay). This is partly explained by the rapid increase in vehicle ownership in these cities. Personal safety is lowest in Varanasi and Delhi, and traffic safety is also lowest in Varanasi. Cimbatore and Bombay had the highest personal safety. The most vulnerable group is non-motorised road users and the most rapidly increasing group is motorcyclists. The main reason for increasing motorcycle fatalities is failure to wear safety helmets, passenger overloading, lack of driver training, underage drivers and poor driving behaviour. Enforcement of mandatory safety helmet wearing is recommended. Heavy vehicles constitute 7-8% of total motorised vehicles but are responsible for 43% of reported accidents (at least 50% of accidents in cities). In recent rapid growth cities lacking good public transport, cars, jeeps, taxis and motorcycles are involved in 60-70% of accidents. The majority of road accident victims are 15-39 years of age (the most productive age group). Important factors contributing to poor road safety are poor road user behaviour, deteriorating traffic regulation enforcement, unscientific accident investigation, unplanned encroachment or parking on footways and roads, lack of traffic signs and signals, and lack of expenditure on road safety devices. The most cost-effective measures are the provision of unobstructed footways, installation of cycle tracks, painting bicycles yellow or orange, installing speed limiters in lorries, and improved road safety education.