The Monsters on the Road
After many a Deaths, one Death of a Union Cabinet minister has brought the focus for the Government and the Media to the very pertinent question of Road Safety.
Many people have given their opinion about the three dimensions of Road Safety, i.e., Education, Enforcement and Engineering and someone added the fourth dimension of Emergency Management.
All very valid points. All come from people who are actively engaged in the Management of Road Safety though it was never known by that name in our country. Yes, it is true that Traffic Administration is strangely skewered towards management of Motor Vehicles as though the Roads are only for motorized Vehicles and None Else. Metros have become a nightmare for pedestrians and cyclists. These very pedestrians and cyclists when on a motor vehicle do not seem to recollect the pains they have faced in their earlier avatars.
However, with all the assurances of modern regulatory technology and promise of strict enforcement it appears that one thing has been missed out by all experts. It is of paramount importance that the issuance of license to drive a motorised vehicle on the Roads must be reviewed and fundamental changes need to be brought in.
Education about Driving Rules is the primary activity where the process of issuance starts. Those of us who have had the need to get a Driver’s License are aware of the porous nature of the process that is followed or manipulated to get a License to Drive (or Kill?). A learner’s license is the easiest permission to get if you have Identification and a Residence Proof. Fill up the form, attach the documents, pay the fees and there you go! This learner is not supposed to venture into any kind of driving on the Highways and within the city limits he is supposed to drive only when accompanied by a Trained Driver having a Permanent Licence. The Vehicle must also bear a sign of “L” which would be a signal to the fellow drivers to be cautious about this driver’s capabilities to drive.
A driver must understand that he has a very powerful engine with him which is capable of great damage if not handled properly. This is never conveyed to the Learner in the process of issuance of the Learner’s Licence.
It has been proved beyond doubt that a Motor Vehicle is capable of causing death – to the one who is driving and also to others who may become a victim of the uncontrolled and indiscreet acts of the driver. Just like it has been proved beyond doubt that a Gun or any other firearm is capable of causing Death. So, what do we do to issue a license for a Firearm? The due diligence in such cases is of a high order. There must also be a proper test of temperament before a firearm licence is issued. But for Driving Licence which causes more Deaths than Licensed Firearms do, we have no test of temperament !
Issuance of Licence must be preceded by a proper test of temperament of the driver when he is armed with a Death Dealing Motor Vehicle. This must be a technology enabled process and not possible to be manipulated by any human intervention. Forget about Educational qualification; forget about physical fitness till you have tested the temperament of the person.
- Would he be rash when he finds an empty stretch of Road in front of him.
- Is he likely to jump a signal if he is under a pressing hurry to catch a train or a flight?
- Is he likely to compromise on the wearing of the Belt even while he is about to park his car in the parking lot.
- Does he have the temperament to let the ambulance or the police van pass while he is driving?
- Is he likely to break the Rules if he is convinced that he is not being watched?
- Would he be negligent about the fitness of the vehicle if he has an option to overlook it?
- Would he stop if he finds a differently abled person crossing the Road?
- Would he cross speed limits if he is sure that there is no cop or camera round the corner?
- Would he drive after taking drinks?
- Would he drive despite having not taken adequate Rest?
- Is he likely to dash a slow moving vehicle ahead of him, just because he gets irritated though the vehicle ahead is only adhering to the Speed Limit?
- Would he keep honking if people on the Road do not permit him to move at a pace higher than the speed limit?
- Does he know the importance of the fitness of the Vehicle? Especially, the Brakes.
- Does he maintain the distance from the Vehicle ahead in proper proportion?
- Does he change lanes without reducing the speed just because the vehicle ahead is adhering to the speed limit?
- This is not just for the Car Drivers. This elaborate test of temperament must be for all people who are intending to have a Driving Licence.
With the advancement of Technology it should not be a great challenge to create Simulators for On Road Driving. For all we know spacecraft and aircraft simulators are already in existence. Then why not Motor Vehicle Driving Simulators which can capture all the reflex actions of the Driver in multiple situation simulating the real road conditions.
So, the first step is set up such simulators with Rigid Test Cases. Make all the existing Driving Licence holders to go through these tests and justify their continued holding of the Licence. Make all new applicants to go through the drill and strictly issue only if the Temperament Test is passed.
Driving is not a matter of Skill, it is largely a matter of attitude and temperament. The reflexes of a Driver actually are guided by his state of mind and his temperament. This is what the Law Makers and the Safety Regulators must understand. This may not be the way Issuance is handled anywhere in the world. Let us then set a precedent in India that would not only make Indian Roads safest in the World but would also be a Business Case for India to implement the same elsewhere in the world.
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Perfect analysis. All these points are valid. Of greater urgency is the need to entrust all road laying contracts to a wing of the Border Roads Organization of the defence department. Eliminate crooked sub contractors who only fill up or do patch-works in name of road -laying .
It is right to ask for proper licence, test road safety knowledge etc. But is it not true that most of the road accidents are done by the people having proper licence & have many years of driving experience? In many cases it was found that many people who met accident were at fault, not the driver. Our view is “We lack road sense in general” and are always in hurry because most of the people are already late because of habit & are not in habit of wearing safety gadgets like belt or helmet etc.
Start little earlier for work. Have little patience, be human, let weaker section, like ladies, older person & kids, have first right over the road. Over & above, don’t run away when you accident victim lying of the road. Your few minutes may save a valuable life.