In the run up to the first hackathon on road safety in India, we caught up with Arnab Bandopadhyay, Senior Transport Engineer at the World Bank and asked him a few questions:
- Why is the World Bank focusing on road safety in India?
While India has less than 3% of the world’s vehicles, it accounts for some 11% of the world’s road deaths. That too, when many such incidents are not documented at all.
Road accidents are not only traumatic for victims and their families but also take a huge economic toll on the country. They cost an estimated 3% of GDP each year. The large majority of road accident victims are pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists - mostly from the economically weaker sections of the society – making road safety a matter of social equity. Promoting road safety is therefore an important national priority.
- What is the purpose of a hackathon on road safety in India?
- What is the World Bank doing to help improve road safety in India?
- What, in your opinion, are the quick wins for promoting road safety?
- Enforcing the compulsory use of seat belts and helmets.
- Taking strong action against drunk driving and speeding.
- Installing road signs, markings and crash barriers; segregating pedestrians and non-motorised traffic from the main vehicular stream; and ensuring that sidewalks and road shoulders are usable.
- Tightening the driver-licensing and vehicle-registration systems; installing speed cameras and other automated devices at high-risk locations; and imposing credible fines for violations.
- Establishing a string of trauma care centers so that victims can reach quality medical care within the golden hour.
- What has been the impact of the World Bank’s work so far?

Comments
We must stop calling these as
We must stop calling these as "accidents", but CRASHes since someone is responsible for them
Road Safety will always begin
Road Safety will always begin with me. This road accidents we must stop them to protect ourselves and our future generation. Thanks to the World bank for sensitizing the people on this.
Measures suggested by World
Measures suggested by World Bank will make tremendous improvement in road safety.Enforcement agencies are not effective so more use of automated devices will increase effectiveness
International community and
International community and many of its members are today more aware and concerned on road safety issues. Thnx to the World Bank, other international & national agencies, and NGOs.
Much of the exercise however is reduced to academic chest beating as little action is taken on ground. So number of road fatalities & injuries keeps mounting. A primary key to road safety lies in enforcement of basic traffic norms. And it demands little extra funding, at least initially.
We have to find innovative ways to act, and account for administrative lapses. Results can be dramatic and exceed the goal fixed for the year 2020.
(I have attempted a model in this regard and will be posting to this Blog shortly.)
sir... u said that u have
sir... u said that u have developed some model. where can i find it. because i am into this study to reduce road accidents. it will be helpful for me. thank you.
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