Till Death Do Us Part…
Every day 1374 road traffic accidents and 400 deaths take place in India.
The number of deaths in RTAs would increase to 662 persons per day in 2030 and will not begin to decline until 2042, which is a serious public health concern. Data also show that more than half of those killed last year were in the productive age group of 15 to 34, pointing to a calamitous loss of young lives. This is a public health emergency that requires immediate action.
Gen Z’ Riya Mehta Communication Design Class speculates a campaign which touches upon the aftermath of the event which leaves lives destroyed and families distraught and shattered with the loss of a loved one. Collaborating with Mumbai Police’ which is known for its effective communication strategies and is one of the most sought-after Twitter handles among public service handles with 4.9 million followers. The campaign is speculated with the handle #OverspeedingisOverrated and aims to appeal to the emotions of all to drive safely.
The maximum increase in the number of traffic accident cases in states from 2020 to 2021 was reported in Tamil Nadu (from 46,443 to 57,090) followed by Madhya Pradesh (from 43,360 to 49,493), Uttar Pradesh (from 30,593 to 36,509), Maharashtra (from 24,908 to 30,086) and Kerala (from 27,998 to 33,051). These traffic accidents resulted in injuries to 3,73,884 people and 1,73,860 deaths in 2021.
A short film on YouTube to support the campaign aims to highlight the issue of irresponsible driving, as well as drunken driving where the family is left to pick up the pieces after the loss of a loved one, is speculated as part of the year-long campaign.
Negligence is another reason for accidents as a public safety and health issue, distracted driving has interested researchers, organizations, and. agencies in many disciplines other than transportation engineering and safety. Stakeholders from the public and private sectors have studied distracted driving and have their definitions of distracted driving. Distracted driving is any activity that diverts drivers’ attention and takes their attention away from driving safely. Distracted driving is the act of a driver operating a vehicle without his or her full attention focused on the physical, mental, and psychological demands of driving. According to FindLaw’s website (2019), distracted driving is driving while performing any activity that could potentially distract a driver from the primary task of operating a vehicle. Despite the slight difference in definitions, distracted driving involves physical and mental activities that divert drivers’ attention from the primary task of driving.
The economic costs also strike hard at a national level, imposing a significant burden on health, insurance, and legal systems. This loss of life causes a heavy economic burden on the household in case it is the loss of a working person, prolonged medical care of the injured person, and taking care of the disabled person is another challenge. This may also have serious social implications.
Sustainable Development Goal 3 aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. The Planning Commission in its 2001–2003 research estimated that traffic collisions resulted in an annual monetary loss of $10 billion (INR 550 billion) during the years 1999–2000. In 2012, the International Road Federation (IRF) estimated that traffic collision results in an annual monetary loss of $20 billion (INR 1 trillion (short scale)) in India. This figure includes expenses associated with the collision victim, property damage and administration expenses.
The “GlobStatus Report on Road Safety” published by the World Health Organization (WHO) identified the major causes of traffic collisions as driving over the speed limit, driving under the influence, and not using helmets and seat belts. Failure to maintain lane or yield to oncoming traffic, when turning are prime causes of collisions on four-lane, non-access controlled National Highways. The report noted users of motorcycles and motor-powered three-wheelers constitute the second-largest group of traffic collision deaths.
Despite fast-paced motorisation, India does not have a scientific accident investigation agency. Nine years have passed since the Sundar Committee on Road Safety and Traffic Management recommended the creation of a safety board through legislation. Under the archaic Motor Vehicles Act and the Indian Penal Code, the police adopt simplistic methods to determine ‘driver fault’, rather than look at composite factors including bad road design and failure of civic agencies to maintain infrastructure while fixing responsibility for accidents.
Gen Z’ Riya Mehta dedicates a campaign which can run through the year appealing to all age groups. This is a public health emergency that requires immediate action. One of the most productive measures to bring down accidents is zero-tolerance enforcement. Strong policing reduces the risk for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and two-wheeler riders, who must be compelled to wear helmets. Road accidents in India kill more people than epidemics and it is time the younger generation is guided and educated in an effective manner enabling a safe future for all.
Disclaimer: All creatives are hypothetical classroom projects. All rights reserved — 2022- 2023
Creative Mentor: Utkarsha Malkar- Author | Design Thinker | Creator — A desire to understand the world and to improve it always remains at the core. Design is a managed process and my quest for knowledge is subject to an inquiry of the apparent, the imagined and the recalled. As I speculate and design, my liberty of self-expression is in direct correlation to my existence and knowledge.
