Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announced the mandatory installation of fatigue and sleep-detection devices in trucks to enhance road safety and reduce accident risks caused by driver exhaustion. Speaking at the CII National Conclave on Road Safety, he emphasized that truck drivers often work 15 to 18 hours at a stretch, significantly increasing the likelihood of accidents.
Behavioural Change for Accident Prevention:
Highlighting behavioural change as a crucial aspect of accident prevention, he called for increased awareness of helmet and seatbelt usage, better road design, and stricter rules to address wrong-side driving.
What Contractors, Builders, and Developers need to know:
Noting that 66% of road accident fatalities in India involve individuals aged 18 to 45 years. He stressed the need for safer school entry and exit points, citing the loss of 10,000 children’s lives due to poor infrastructure. To address safety lapses, he announced stricter penalties for road developers and contractors responsible for faulty road design. Additionally, new rules will mandate rear seatbelt alarms in all cars manufactured from April 2025 to reduce the 30,000 deaths linked to seatbelt non-usage.
Initiatives and Incentives:
Further, Gadkari revealed government measures such as increasing rewards for citizens saving lives in accident cases to ₹25,000 and introducing Bharat NCAP ratings to incentivize road safety compliance. He called for collaborative efforts from the auto industry, citizens, and educational institutions, emphasizing the importance of involving students as ambassadors for road safety. “Keeping people safe on roads is a shared responsibility,” he said, urging collective action for a safer future.