MoRTH adopts multi-pronged approach to promote road safety

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has adopted a multi-pronged approach to ensure and promote safety on roads. These include the use of road engineering measures to enhance safety, improve vehicle safety standards, education and awareness for drivers and the general public, the enforcement of road safety laws and the provision of post-crash response and trauma care facilities. The ministry has identified and rectified several accident black spots. A total of 789 black spots have been identified, of which 140 have already been rectified, 283 are under execution/bidding and 228 are under survey investigation. Further, the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2017, will pave the way for stricter penalties for traffic offences, thereby increasing compliance and road safety. A district-level committee will be constituted in every district to monitor road security, identify black spots and suggest road security measures. While 25 states and union territories have witnessed a reduction in road accidents in the first half of 2017, states like Assam, Bihar, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh registered an increase in road accident fatalities of 2-8 per cent during this period. While 25 states and union territories have witnessed a reduction in road accidents in the first half of 2017, states like Assam, Bihar, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh registered an increase in road accident fatalities of 2-8 per cent during this period.