Low‑cost road safety fixes can reduce accidents: Experts
New Delhi, July 24
Eminent road safety experts called for urgent adoption of "low‑cost, high‑impact" measures, including 30 km per hour low‑speed zones in residential and school areas to reduce road fatalities in cities, a statement said on Friday.
The statement from International Road Federation said speakers at a lecture here highlighted practical, scalable interventions such as installation of high‑visibility zebra crossings and raised pedestrian crossings, which could reduce road accidents significantly.
India can significantly reduce road fatalities through affordable and evidence-based interventions in cities, said Prof. Geetam Tiwari, Emeritus Professor and Former Chair Professor, Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Programme, outlining measures such as use of curb extensions (bulb-outs) to reduce pedestrian crossing distances and construction of median refuge islands for safer pedestrian movement across wide roads.
Prof Tiwari called for implementation of lane narrowing and chicanes to naturally calm traffic and to improve retro-reflective signage and road markings to enhance night-time visibility.
Tiwari urged implementation of international best practices, adding that tactical interventions can reduce crashes while improving mobility for all road users.
"India's rapidly expanding cities face growing challenges as infrastructure development struggles to keep pace with urbanisation," said K K Kapila, President Emeritus, International Road Federation (IRF).
Contrary to the common perception that road safety depends primarily on expensive infrastructure projects such as flyovers and expressways, he said that most urban crashes occur due to everyday design deficiencies on ordinary roads operating at normal traffic speeds.
"Low-cost engineering measures such as roundabouts, raised pedestrian crossings, traffic-calming measures, improved street lighting and safer intersection designs have been proven to reduce crashes by 20 to 80 per cent, often at a fraction of the cost of major infrastructure projects. Such interventions can be implemented much faster and deliver immediate safety benefits," Kapila said.
Kapila highlighted several implementation challenges that continue to hinder progress, including the multiplicity of agencies responsible for road safety, weak enforcement of traffic regulations, the complexity of retrofitting existing urban streets, fragmented funding mechanisms, inadequate crash data and post-crash care, and resistance to reallocating road space for pedestrians and cyclists.
Akhilesh Srivastava, President, ITS India Forum, emphasised the importance of integrating intelligent transport systems with proven engineering measures.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good points but implementation is the real challenge. In my city, they installed a raised pedestrian crossing but within a week it was damaged by heavy vehicles. We need better quality work and regular maintenance. Also, strict enforcement of traffic rules is crucial - no use having good roads if people keep jumping signals.
Interesting perspective. As someone who works in urban planning in Mumbai, I've seen how effective simple traffic calming measures can be. The bulb-outs and median refuges work wonders in dense areas. But we also need to tackle the "chalta hai" attitude - drivers need education too. 🚗
The point about multi-agency coordination is spot on! I work in a municipal corporation and getting the PWD, traffic police, and local body to agree on even a simple crossing improvement takes months. We need a single agency for road safety with clear accountability. Also, why is nobody talking about pedestrians and cyclists? Our cities are built for cars only! 🚴
As a mother of two school-going children, I can't stress enough how important these low-speed zones are near schools. Every day I see cars, autos, and two-wheelers speeding past our kids. Even simple things like painting zebra crossings properly and putting up "School Zone" signs can make a difference. Thank you for highlighting this topic. 🙏
I drive through Delhi daily and I've noticed many of these issues. The lack of reflective road markings is terrifying at night - one wrong turn and you're in a ditch. But raising awareness among drivers is equally important. I see people deliberately ignoring red lights and zebra crossings. The 30 km/h zone idea is good but will anyone
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