Road safety not just an issue of infrastructure or enforcement, but should be treated as a public health issue: Special Commissioner of Police, Traffic Management Division, Delhi

Mr Surender Singh Yadav, Special Commissioner of Police, Traffic Management Division, Zone-II, Delhi today said that road accidents have emerged as an important public health issue that needs to be tackled by a multi-disciplinary approach. Speaking at the fireside chat during the ‘Road Safety Week’ observed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Govt of India in association with FICCI, Mr Yadav said, “Road safety is not just an issue of infrastructure or enforcement, but it should be treated as a public health issue as it includes psychological as well as physical aspects.”

Sharing that the road infrastructure has improved a lot in recent times, Mr Yadav added that road engineering and infrastructure developments can help us prevent a number of road crashes, especially for pedestrians, cyclists and two-wheeler drivers. He asserted that along with improving the road quality, we must also focus on nearby infrastructure as well, particularly for pedestrians. “Traffic personnel need to ensure the least amount of human interface in enforcing traffic rules. More focus should be on regulations and e-challans,” added Mr Yadav.

Dr Sewa Ram, professor of Transport Planning, School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi said, “There is a need for advocacy in road safety wherein we should take help of the institutions. Along with enforcement, we must also focus on education about road safety.”

In another fireside chat, Mr Ramashankar Pandey, Chair, FICCI Sub-Committee on Road Safety and CEO, Tata AutoComp GY Batteries Pvt Ltd said, “Nothing less than a public movement can address the issue of road safety. We need to integrate all three E’s – Enforcement, Emergency care, and Engineering to reduce road accidents.”

Highlighting the role of corporates in road safety, Mr Pandey added, “Corporates have to work together for the community and integrate all the stakeholders.”