Road crashes remain one of the leading causes of death in India and are an escalating public health emergency. In 2022, the country recorded a staggering 461,312 road crashes, resulting in 1,68,491 fatalities, a 9.4% increase in fatalities from the previous year.
Teenagers or even younger children driving two-wheelers or cars on the road, often in school uniforms, or younger kids being picked up by their elder siblings in vehicles is nothing new in India. This is despite the law in India clearly stating that the legal driving age for most vehicles is 18 years. It is very unlikely that underage driving is spurred by a lack of knowledge of the law, as sometimes children far below 18 are found using motor vehicles.
CAG conducted a helmet-compliance study across 11 districts in Tamil Nadu in November 2024. The findings revealed low adherence, particularly among adults in districts like Chengalpattu and Kanchipuram and negligible compliance among children. This is despite India reporting over 4.6 lakh road crashes, resulting in 1.68 lakh fatalities (in 2022), and Tamil Nadu consistently topping the list for road crashes from 2018 to 2022.
The Helmet Conundrum: A study by CAG surveying 520 parents and 145 helmet shops in Chennai reveals that only 25% of children wear helmets, with 12% using adult helmets. Shocking findings considering that children are amongst the most vulnerable of road users and the parental instinct is to prioritise safety of their children, even over their own.
India is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. While the expansion and improvement of road transport improves socio-economic development, they have also brought significant environmental challenges in India, including a sharp rise in CO2 emissions and air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOX) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
In the ever-expanding urban landscapes of today's world, the pressing issues of congestion, pollution, and accessibility continue to disproportionately affect the most vulnerable segments of society—the poor. As cities grow and sprawl, traditional approaches to transportation planning have often favoured motorised vehicles, exacerbating inequalities and hindering mobility for those with limited resources. However, amidst these challenges lies a beacon of hope: sustainable modes of transport.
The Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) is currently formulating the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) for the Chennai Metropolitan Area. This plan will serve as the transportation blueprint for the next 25 years (2023-2048).
Two-wheelers are the preferred mode of transportation for many Indians. They are certainly more affordable than a car. It is no wonder then that, globally, India has the highest number of registered two-wheelers and they account for nearly 75% of all vehicles registered in the country (Road Transport Year Book 2020, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways).
The concept of integrated ticketing system in public transportation revolutionises the way users access various modes of transport through a unified platform, such as mobile apps or mobility cards. This system, embraced by cities worldwide like London and Hong Kong, relies on cashless transactions for its seamless operation.
To mark National Road Safety Month, observed between January 15 and February 14, CAG conducted road safety awareness programs in three schools - Sri Gurumurthy Vidyalaya High School in Kodungaiyur; Don Bosco Matric Hr.Sec.School in Erukkancheri; and Chennai Middle School in Perambur on 2nd, 8th and 9th of February, 2024 respectively.
In all three schools the audience encompassed students ranging from the 6th to the 10th standards, reflecting a diverse group of young minds eager to engage with the road safety initiative.