Motorists must have respect for others’ lives

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Since this is such a hot-button issue, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari's candid admission about his discomfort when representing India at international forums discussing road safety, was widely reported. Gadkari was quoted as saying, that when he attended international conferences on road accidents, he tried to hide his face. This was during a debate in the Lok Sabha, where he acknowledged the grim reality of rising road accident fatalities in the country. The situation has worsened periodically.

He claimed that societal indifference, lack of adherence to traffic laws, and inadequate infrastructure were some of the factors responsible and human behaviour must change, society must evolve, and the rule of law must be respected. He highlighted in particular that improper truck parking and poor lane discipline were major contributors.

While some factors are out of control, we can certainly change our behaviour so that we are not imperilled. First is avoid jaywalking as pedestrians. Footpaths are non-existent in parts but when they do exist, use them. Wait for the signal to cross the road. Do not hare across, hoping to save a minute. As drivers, lane cutting is an absolute no-no. There is no need for speed. Period. You simply cannot go fast and there is no excuse for that. Let that be the last word. Bikers, there is just one way on a road. It is dangerous, pathetic and abominable that bikers have licence to break signals and rules with impunity. While not the only one, this is one of the most dangerous facets of our city roads, easily a contributor to the many accidents we see here.

We may not have the power to change everything on our roads but we need to look at what is in our control. Every step counts for safer streets.