Since 2015, CAG has been working with partner organisations across India and government agencies, to strengthen road safety legislation in the country. At the state-level, in Tamil Nadu, CAG has been collaborating with the transport and police departments, other civil society groups, and consumer rights groups to bolster implementation and enforcement of the law and greater public awareness on road safety, Good Samaritan Guidelines, and the need for citizens to adhere to the rules of the road. CAG has brought out several IEC materials in English and Tamil on road safety.
There is one fatality every 4 minutes on Indian roads. The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that though India has only one per cent of the world’s roads, the country accounts for 10 per cent of road accident fatalities. Reversing this worsening trend requires a concerted effort on various fronts – changing user behaviour; stronger legislation that covers aspects of vehicle safety, etc; better enforcement of legislation; proper road design and improved data collection regarding traffic.