Of speed bumps and signage

CHENNAI: Last month, 34-year-old Chennaiite died after his two wheeler hit an unmarked speed breaker at Chitlapakkam, an incident that has once again highlighted the sorry state of affairs vis-a-vis road safety in Tamil Nadu. The accident was just one of the many episodes involving speed breakers that have not been painted with white reflective stripes to serve as a caution to motorists. Now, a committee headed by the Joint Commissioner (South) of Greater Chennai City Traffic Police has been formed to check uneven, non-standard, unnecessary speed breakers in the city. Speed breakers can be laid only after getting a clearance from this committee. In the event of a deviation from the norms, the speed breakers will be removed. It is worth noting that no specific audit or evaluation of existing speed breakers have been done by the Greater Chennai Corporation.

The guidelines of the Indian Road Congress clearly state that speed breakers should be painted with alternate black and white bands to provide additional visual warning. For improved night visibility, it was suggested that the markings are in luminous paints or strips. The provision of embedded cat eyes could also go a long way in enhancing the visibility of roads during the night. Many speed breakers have been installed in the absence of corresponding warning signage on the roads. Also, there is no dedicated dashboard to monitor speed bumps, open/elevated manholes, potholes, that would facilitate a coordinated response from the Corporation, the Highways department and the Public Works Department.

Sadly, many public servants seem to be paying just lip service to road safety guidelines. Despite the innumerable road safety campaigns and awareness drives conducted across India, we rank first in the number of road accident deaths across 199 countries and account for almost 11% of all accident-related deaths in the world.

The Annual Report on Road Accidents in India-2022 published by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in October last year, tells us that 1,68,491 people died in the country due to road accidents in 2022, which marks a 9.4 per cent rise compared to 2021. The report also shows that 4,61,312 road accidents occurred in 2022, which was nearly 12 per cent higher when compared to 2021, a year that was impacted by partial lockdowns and traffic restrictions due to the pandemic. Injuries on account of road accidents also increased by 15.3 per cent in 2022 compared to the previous year with 443,366 people being wounded. On average, these figures translate into 1,264 accidents and 462 deaths every day or 53 accidents and 19 deaths every hour in the country.

The administration can enhance safety by separating local and through traffic on different roads, or by separating slow and fast traffic on the same road, and by providing convenient and safe road crossing facilities to vulnerable road users. However, the accidents are not just an indictment of impractical design, poor maintenance, and inadequate signage on arterial roads and highways. It is also a pointer to the absence of accountability on part of motorists. A stringent driving test standardised across India should be made mandatory. And so should a school-level refresher on driving etiquette.