I have tried to compile data through a simple Google search on the number of vehicles in different Asian countries and the number of deaths and injuries caused by road accidents per year. Since it is just based on a simple google search there is less symmetry in this data, as in, there might be differences in the year for different countries, but in any case, the point here is not to compare the statistics in different countries but to merely showcase the status. I will also try to assess the technology used for road safety in developed countries in comparison to any of the developing Asian countries.
Asian countries are still among the “have-nots” when it comes to using technology for road safety. Globally around 1.2 million people die every year and about 50 million are injured in road traffic crashes. Half of those who die on the world’s roads are vulnerable road users – pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. According to WHO, road injuries are the leading cause of death globally among people aged 15–29 years and almost three times more men than women die from road traffic injuries around the world.
Most of the accidents happen because of human error and road users who do not abide by the rules. Myanmar reported that in 2016, 49.7 % of reported road accidents in the country involved motorbikes and nearly half of the deceased were motorbike drivers. Some are not skilled at driving, and some are not following the road signs. If road users abide by the rules, the impact of the crisis will be low. A majority of the accidents in these countries are attributed to the negligence of drivers, followed by speeding, drunk driving, recklessness of passengers, overtaking vehicles, mechanical failure, overload, stray cattle, poor road condition and bad weather.
India, as well as other Asian countries, are suffering from ignorance towards road safety both from the authorities and the public alike, there is a lack of awareness, then there are unsafe/poorly maintained roads and unnecessary increase in the number of motor vehicles to add to this problem. Improving public transportation facilities is not among the priorities in these cultures.
Bodegraven town in the Netherlands installed light strip synced with the traffic light on the sidewalk to help prevent any injuries, collisions or even deaths involving distracted phone users. It is a known fact that since the inception of smartphones many aspects of our lives have become webbed around its screen. While undoubtedly there are advantages, when it comes to safety on roads smartphones have caused severe challenges. Pedestrians engrossed on their phones while using the roads has also become a leading cause of road accidents.
The rate at which the number of privately-owned vehicles has increased in our country is worrisome. Despite the introduction of metro and monorails the road traffic situation has not improved much. The width of roads in many two-three tier cities is not able to adjust multiple lanes, and high intensity of traffic worsens this situation. In most of these cities (in some cases metropolitan cities are also included) the usage of technology is limited to traffic lights, which again is unable to solve the problem – as it is only trying to manage the traffic.
Drivers often neglect basic safety gears like seat-belts and helmets and this seems to be a trend in our country – as most people would only follow ‘rules’ only when they fear being held accountable. Hence, lack of road-safety education and this culture of ignorance needs to be questioned immediately.
Furthermore, the technology usage in two and three-tier cities is low and the technology used is old. In most of these places, the traffic is controlled by beat-cops with whistles and a stick. Railway crossings are unmanned and at many places without a gate, causing death and injuries throughout the year.
How Can We Solve These Problems?
The issuance of driving license should be made a rigorous process. There is a visible line of middlemen, who can get you a driving license by paying extra money – part of which supposedly goes to the government departments. The more rigorous the process becomes the more efforts the applicants will have to put. In Russia and Norway (two countries where I have spent few years) prior to appearing for the exam to attain a license one has to go through a training that involves study as well as practice of following the street rules. It includes usage of modern technology and sensitizes the to-be drivers about rules of the road. In both of these places, I have not met a single friend who got his/her license in the first attempt, because they forgot or missed some or the other rule so they had to undergo the whole process again. The outcome is evident – a fewer number of road accidents as compared to these Asian countries.
The usage of smartphone should be limited to maps/other GPS functions needed while driving. Then again, this too is about road-safety sensitization and education. Road safety education programs should be extended to rural communities that would not receive the education otherwise.
I live on the outskirts of Moscow in Russia, and there is a train station close to my residence. Just like in India, there is one person sitting in the cabin near the crossing to operate the gates for the vehicles. When the gates are closing, a part of the road lifts with a sound that is audible from a distance, warning the drivers to slow down. Similarly, when the train has passed and the gates are to be opened the same sound continues signalling the drivers to get ready to move.
The U.K.-based non-profit Global NCAP, which studies the quality of vehicles, has over the years assigned a zero star rating to many small vehicles sold in India — an assessment that there could be life-threatening injuries in a crash at 40 miles per hour. Efforts to increase road safety has not taken off in the past, the success of any scheme depends on how well it is implemented. The problem of implementation is not a unique feature of India, it applies to the rest of the listed countries as well.
We have heard about “black-box” in airplanes only. Now it is being used in cars also. For example, in South Korea, taxi drivers first installed vehicles’ black boxes back in 2008. At present, taxis throughout South Korea have black boxes, partly sponsored by local governments and partly by the insurance companies. As similar to airplane black boxes, these taxi black boxes provide a wide range of information related to traffic crashes, including the time of an accident, digital video images of the surrounding area, speed and acceleration/deceleration of vehicles, exact accident location and recorded voice information. Such information is very useful to analyze the causes of crashes and coming up with solutions. The process of collecting information is currently done manually in India, where investigators speak with witnesses, check skid marks and damages to vehicles etc.
In Russia, there are apps like 2GIS which can show the real-time traffic pattern on any smartphone screen. The Internet is only required to download this application. In case, we find that there is a possibility of long waiting time on the road, we can switch to local trains instead of taking the bus. If the Asian countries could use such technology, it might improve the road safety situation, lessen the travel time, and provide a smooth travel to the passengers.
A lot of accidents happen due to fog and unclear vision on the roads, statistics are available for it. Florescent paint, white headlights and retroreflective signs can respond to this challenge. They are in use in several developed and developing countries across the globe.
Smarter vehicles could lead to fewer crashes. Increased connectivity can alert drivers about road traffic and connect them to help in case of an emergency. In time, driverless (automated) and shared cars could significantly improve road safety, while also lowering traffic congestion.
Speed governors, which limit the maximum speed of a vehicle, are required in heavy trucks in the European Union and Australia. Some US trucking companies also use speed limiters. Speed governors are essentially devices which put a cap on the speed that can be achieved – which is below the vehicle’s actual maximum speed. When a vehicle is about to cross the limit set on the speed governor, it automatically slows the vehicle down. Currently, speed governors are among the most effective solutions to control the speed limit of vehicles.
Globally, drunk driving is considered to be a crucial road safety issue. An alcohol ignition interlock device is a breath alcohol analyser connected to the ignition of a vehicle, which cannot be started unless the driver passes the unit’s breath alcohol tests. At present, alcohol lock programmes are operating in Canada and the United States and can be a major deterrent to drinking and driving.
Driver drowsiness detection is a safety system in the vehicles that helps avoiding accidents caused by drowsiness of the driver. It monitors the steering pattern, vehicle position in the lane, driver’s eye or face and the physiological measurements like brain activity, muscle movement and heart rate through sensors. When drowsiness is detected, the driver is alerted and directed to a safety point on the roadside.
Warning and Emergency Braking Systems detect at an early stage the danger of an accident with the vehicle ahead of you. In the case of a potential collision, they warn the driver about the danger. In case of no response to the warning, this technology activates the brakes with seat belts and airbags to avoid or reduce the impact of a crash.
In many countries, it is mandatory to change the tyres every year (for example most of the vehicles change/switch tyres in winters as the road conditions change drastically).
Intelligent Co-operative Systems is another technology being used in some countries these days. It involves communications between vehicles, and between the vehicle and the infrastructure. Information on traffic, speeds, positions, accidents and much more is sent automatically between vehicles and the infrastructure, resulting in increased road safety, reduced congestion, more predictable time frames for travel and much more.
A collision mitigation system warns the driver with sound and visual signals when there is a risk of collision with a vehicle in front. It will also autonomously apply the brakes when a crash is imminent. The purpose, of course, is to avoid, or at least mitigate, the accident.
Mass media campaigns are also a useful way to reduce the number of road accidents. They should be a huge part of a country’s transport policy.
The world is constantly moving towards driver-less and artificially intelligent vehicles, but the lesser developed countries still face various basic infrastructural challenges. People are travelling more than previous years, and this trend will continue. There must be a mix, a kind of synergy between technology, infrastructure and road safety in order to make our roads safer, and travel more convenient.
Featured image source: Pexels
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