Remember the 'Satyamev Jayate' episode on road accidents last season? Or maybe the news article last year about our most popular small cars failing crash tests (see link)? Or maybe you have been observant enough to notice that with rising number of vehicles on Indian roads, accidents have become more common these days. Road and Safety seem to be terms that cannot be used together.
If we look at what the numbers say, India has the deadliest roads in the world. A DNA article last year reported that 12 lac people have died in road accidents in India in the past decade. While the Ministry of Roads & Transport figures for 2011 are - 4.97 lakh road accidents annually, about 1 every minute and 1.42 lakh deaths in road accidents annually, about 1 every 3.7 minutes (some more stats). And yet, one of the most basic safety features - airbags - is almost non existent in our car market. Why? Because they are costly. And life is cheap?
But things are about to change. In response to the results of the failed crash tests, the Government had initiated efforts on a Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Program, under which vehicles would be given star ratings for safety. This would become mandatory from October 2017, still some time away. A comprehensive plan for vehicle and road safety is set to be rolled out in the next 3-4 years (newslink). More recently, Govt is planning on a policy to decide 'end of life' or expiry date of vehicles (newslink).
The recent developments have led to companies that make airbags planning operations in India. They see a huge market in India - a US$2bn opportunity in our sub-standard roads filled with reckless drivers (Read article 1 & 2). Well, there is an opportunity in every problem, somebody has to take it.
Why do we always need laws to enforce things that are logically required? We are a strange people indeed.
Related article:
India's emission norms way behind times
If we look at what the numbers say, India has the deadliest roads in the world. A DNA article last year reported that 12 lac people have died in road accidents in India in the past decade. While the Ministry of Roads & Transport figures for 2011 are - 4.97 lakh road accidents annually, about 1 every minute and 1.42 lakh deaths in road accidents annually, about 1 every 3.7 minutes (some more stats). And yet, one of the most basic safety features - airbags - is almost non existent in our car market. Why? Because they are costly. And life is cheap?But things are about to change. In response to the results of the failed crash tests, the Government had initiated efforts on a Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Program, under which vehicles would be given star ratings for safety. This would become mandatory from October 2017, still some time away. A comprehensive plan for vehicle and road safety is set to be rolled out in the next 3-4 years (newslink). More recently, Govt is planning on a policy to decide 'end of life' or expiry date of vehicles (newslink).
The recent developments have led to companies that make airbags planning operations in India. They see a huge market in India - a US$2bn opportunity in our sub-standard roads filled with reckless drivers (Read article 1 & 2). Well, there is an opportunity in every problem, somebody has to take it.
Why do we always need laws to enforce things that are logically required? We are a strange people indeed.
Related article:
India's emission norms way behind times
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