Road accidents causing 19 deaths every hour; Nitin Gadkari raises alarm

The Union Minister urged all motor vehicle manufacturers to establish driving schools to ensure awareness of local rules and regulations.

The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, attended the 64th annual conference of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers in New Delhi on Tuesday. Gadkari drew attention to the rising number of road accidents in India, which leads the world in the number of accidents and consequent deaths.

Gadkari has often spoken on this issue and has been taking steps to make roads safer for motorists and pedestrians alike.

Nitin Gadkari pushes for road safety

The Union Minister has repeatedly stressed the importance of road safety in India. Once again, he urged all manufacturers to establish driving schools to ensure that vehicle owners are aware of local rules and regulations, and that they possess the necessary skills to drive or ride vehicles safely.

He called on Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to contribute towards reducing the number of road accidents, stating: “There are nearly 53 accidents and 19 deaths every hour in our country. Just imagine. 45 per cent of accidents are due to two-wheelers, and 20 per cent involve pedestrians."

“I sincerely request you all to take an interest in starting driver-training schools. This way, we can train good drivers, which could be a truly positive solution," he added.

Bharat NCAP

Gadkari also acknowledged that efforts have begun to address faulty road construction and signage. Additionally, he emphasised the need to produce safer vehicles and highlighted the importance of Bharat NCAP. Gadkari said, “Bharat NCAP will ensure healthy competition among manufacturers to provide safer vehicles for consumers."

Bharat NCAP, or the New Car Assessment Programme, is India’s own crash-safety rating system for vehicles sold in the Indian market. Similar to the Global NCAP, it will award a five-star rating to vehicles that offer the highest level of safety in the event of a crash. Each car model will be rated based on adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, and the safety equipment on board.