In India, over 50 Lakh accidents have occurred in the past 10 years and the damages caused by these accidents have been jarring to many people. Such accidents have led to the loss of many lives, which is why there’s constant emphasis on how important it is to be safe on the road.
This is why the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has started the National Road Safety Week as an initiative along with other non-government and government entities to educate people about road safety. The direct aim is to decrease the number of road accidents and road fatalities that occur on journeys, along with instilling driving discipline.
This year, National Road Safety Week will be celebrated from 11th January, 2023 to 17th January, 2023. During this time, you will find various initiatives being conducted across the country, in order to spread the message of road discipline and road safety.
The Government of India carries out certain activities to educate people about road safety. Some of these activities include:
Lectures and Seminars
Various lectures and seminars are conducted for officers across the country as part of training programs. Schools, colleges, NGOs, corporate offices, and other institutions often carry out seminars to spread awareness about this subject.
Competitions
Essay writing competitions, hackathons, movie-making contests, etc. are organised in schools and colleges. This helps the younger population understand how vital it is to soundly abide by traffic rules and have driving discipline.
The Road Safety Pledge
As a part of the National Road Safety Week, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has offered people the chance to take the Road Safety Pledge. You can take this pledge online to promise your country that you will be a responsible citizen when on the road. It is a promise you can make to follow the rules laid down for your safety.
The Objectives of Road Safety Week
The National Road Safety Week initiative is an extensive one. The initiative is undertaken across the country and thousands of government and non-government entities are robustly involved in the process and its activities. Its main objective is precise and clear - to inculcate a sense of responsibility of one’s own life and the lives of the people around them. Given below are the objectives of the National Road Safety Week of 2023.
Decrease Fatalities and Accidents
Every year approximately 1.5 Lakh lives are lost to accidents. This alarming number is the main reason why you need to drive/ride safely every day. Hence, the foremost objective is to ensure that no more lives are lost to careless driving and people can journey to their destinations hale and hearty.
Promote Traffic Regulations
Following the traffic rules laid down by the government is a necessity that goes without saying. Not doing so can make you liable to paying a legal fine of up to ₹10,000. This can be avoided by simply maintaining the discipline of abiding by the traffic rules for your sake and for the sake of those around you.
Implement Preventive Measures
With close to 4 Lakh individuals being affected by accidental injuries every year, being careful is a must. Certain preventive measures can help you avoid such accidents, like making sure that the wear and tear of your vehicle is top-notch, and that you feel healthy and sound enough to drive.
Instilling Driving Discipline
Basic driving ethics should be followed by you as a law-abiding citizen of the country. These ethics could include having an active driver’s licence, an active four-wheeler or two-wheeler insurance, not using your phone while driving, etc. Such basic discipline can help you and everyone around you, ensuring that no one is harmed during their road travels.
The Dos and Don'ts of Being Safe on the Road
While driving, an individual is required to pay great heed to many factors such as the act of driving, their surroundings, the safety of those around them and the safety of those in the vehicle with them. Hence, a concise list of the few major dos and don’ts is stated in the table below.
Dos
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Don’ts
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Slow down while approaching an intersection or a junction.
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Do not obstruct the vehicle trying to overtake you.
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Give free passage to ambulances and fire service vehicles.
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Do not use your vehicle’s horn needlessly.
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Allow pedestrians to have the right of way.
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Do not run the red or yellow light of a traffic signal.
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Obey all directions or instructions given to you by a traffic police officer on the road.
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Do not abruptly apply the brakes of your vehicle unless absolutely necessary.
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Keep your motor vehicle insurance papers and other documents handy.
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Do not drive very close to the vehicle in front of you.
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A Special Measure
One can understand that driving itself is a matter of great caution. However, certain factors add to the difficulty of commuting. One of those is the omnipresent potholes that you can find on many roads.
It is crucial to know that potholes are a danger to all those driving since they could contribute to accidents. Especially with bikes and two-wheelers, it is very likely for one to lose control of the vehicle due to an exceptionally deep pothole.
Hence, it is up to the driver or rider to take measures that could prevent any road accident, for their own safety and that of those around them. You can find five major precautionary habits that you could inculcate in yourself to avoid accidents due to potholes.
- Avoid a route that could have many potholes
- Avoid a route that does not have adequate street lights
- Ensure that your vehicle's headlights are fully functioning
- Make sure that you service your vehicle regularly
- Ensure that you are in a sound state of mind and body to drive
It is also vital to wear your riding gear when you are using your two-wheeler. However, dysfunctional riding accessories won’t contribute to your safety. Hence, getting insurance for your riding accessories can help you in this case. You can find various insurance policies like Helmet Insurance, Accessories Cover for Bike Insurance, etc. to insure your helmet, boots, guards, protective eyewear, etc.
Road Safety Initiatives by the Government
In addition to the seminars, competitions and more, the Government of India, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways along with other entities organise certain activities for everyone to participate in. These include offline and online initiatives as stated below.
Online Initiatives
Various online drives are conducted during the Road Safety Week. Usually, online initiatives are very inclusive wherein students, the working population, senior citizens and other categories of society can participate. A few of those online initiatives are listed below.
- Slogan writing competitions
- Movie-making projects
- Quizzes
- Hackathons
- Poster-making contests
This allows everyone to not only celebrate the value of road safety, but it also sends across the message of road safety and discipline in a crystal clear manner. In addition to these online activities, you can also take the Road Safety Pledge.
A Pledge for Safety
The Pledge for Safety is a promise you can make to your country to abide by its road safety rules and to maintain driving/riding discipline. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has offered you the chance to take this pledge online. Furthermore, at completion, you can download an e-certificate with pride. You can follow the steps given below to take the pledge.
Step 1
Visit https://pledge.mygov.in/road-safety/
Step 2
Click on ‘Take Pledge’
Step 3
Fill out all the necessary fields like your name, birthdate, address, phone number, email address, etc.
Step 4
Select ‘Proceed for Language Selection’
Step 5
Choose your preferred language from the dropdown and select ‘Read Pledge’
Step 6
Read the pledge carefully as displayed on your screen and click on ‘I Pledge’
Step 7
Enter the OTP you will receive on your registered mobile number and select ‘Submit”
Step 8
Your screen will now display your Road Safety Certificate to you
Step 9
You can print/download the certificate, or send it to your email address/mobile number. You can also choose to share the certificate on social media
Offline Initiatives
The ministry initiated nation-wide certification courses such as the road safety audit of CES (Central Engineering Services) Road Officers at IAHE (Indian Academy of Highway Engineers). The installation of various government-authorised driving centres was initiated like the Institute of Driving and Training Research, Regional Driving Training Centres, and Driving Training Centres. Other initiatives were also conducted like eye check-up drives for heavy-vehicle drivers.
How Can You Ensure Safety on the Road?
With close to 5 Lakh accidents occurring every year it is a good citizen’s responsibility to maintain the discipline expected from you when on the road. Hence, we introduce to you the Five Pillars of Road Safety that can help you ensure your safety and the safety of those around you while driving or riding.
Focus on the Road
As tempting as it may seem to slow your vehicle down to watch that street brawl unfold, it would be wiser to not take your eyes off the road. One split second of distraction could cause you to lose control of your vehicle and further endanger your safety along with that of other commuters. Driving under the influence, not being sound enough to drive, driving under stress and more are other focus-threatening triggers you could watch out for.
Wear Your Helmet and Seatbelt
With close to 4 Lakh individuals enduring injuries every year,various states have made it mandatory for a driver/rider to keep a helmet or seatbelt on. The helmet can save you from bearing serious injuries to your head while seatbelts can hold you back from colliding with the surface in front of you.
Stay Within Speed Limit
The thrill of zooming through roads could be exhilarating to you, however, the consequences that follow this thrill aren’t very exciting. Speeding can adversely affect the control you have on your vehicle. Even the smallest bump in the road can lead to accidents, endangering your life and that of those around you.
Drive with No Phones
An urgent call or message might need your attention, but answering that call or typing your response while driving can be dangerous. Hence, it is always advisable to pull over to answer the call or message if it cannot wait until you have reached your destination, helping you keep your eyes on the road.
Keep Insurance & Paperwork Updated
As per the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988, it is mandatory for you to have a third-party motor insurance. This is to ensure that in the event of an unforeseen accident, the damage caused to the vehicles involved in the accident are covered. Additionally, other documents such as your driver’s or rider’s licence, registration certificate, insurance papers and emision papers are to be kept handy at all times.
Besides being a mandatory instrument, insurance can be highly beneficial to all vehicle owners. Not only can motor insurance protect you from financial losses due to vehicular damage, it can also protect you, the passengers and any other individuals involved in an accident against medical expenses. Since it is always good to be prepared for eventualities, it is good to have the financial protection of motor insurance.
Plans at Bajaj Markets that Prepare You For Eventualities
The following insurance plans can provide you with coverage and benefits in times of emergencies on the road, be it health or vehicle related.
Insurance
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Premium Starting at
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Two-wheeler Insurance
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₹457/annum
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Four-wheeler Insurance
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₹2,094/annum
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Road Trip Cover
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₹599/annum
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Comprehensive Road Trip Cover
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₹2,880/annum
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Mumbai-Pune-Goa Road Trip Cover
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₹599/annum
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Health Insurance
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₹368/month
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Helmet Insurance
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₹199/year
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Apply Now
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A Quick Wrap-up
The Road Safety Week is a great initiative that the government and other organisations took up back in the 1970s to help people be safe on the roads and to educate them about why it is necessary to drive and commute safely. This week of awareness helps align people with the values of road safety laws in order to ensure utmost harmony and security. This initiative helps people understand the rules and regulations they ought to know, and the various measures they can take even off the road to ensure on-road safety. Be it traffic rules or motor vehicle insurance, a good citizen and a good insurance plan covers all.
