Speed gives us a sense of freedom. The open road, the wind in our faces, the vast blue sky overhead. Cars and bikes are often advertised as speed machines with little thought given to their safety features. Yet, apart from the ever present danger to life, this thrill has another cost that is often ignored. Speeding pollutes the air, damages ecosystems, endangers wildlife, and ultimately harms the very environment that makes these journeys enjoyable.
Based on the report released by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, in 2022, 72.4% of accidents and 75.2% of fatalities (119,904 out of 168,491) occurred in India due to over speeding.
Recently, the Greater Chennai Traffic Police (GCTP) announced they were in the process of introducing several technological upgrades, including the installation of cameras with ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) and speed detection systems. Such automated systems are common across the world but have just started coming into the picture in India.
Speeding remains the cause of over 69% of road fatalities in India. With such shocking statistics, are we doing enough to enforce speed limits, punish speeders and keep vulnerable road users safe? Find out in this podcast.
“Two wheelers and cars speed upto 75 kmph in major arterial stretches of Chennai city” says a study by CAG that highlights the concerns of speed management in the city through evidence based cases. The report also outlines priority areas to reduce speeding threats. Read to know more!
The years 2011-2020 have been designated as the Decade of Action for Road Safety by the WHO. This is global acknowledgment of the gravity of road safety issues across the world and the lives being lost to it. Internationally, road accidents kill as many people as the major pandemics, malaria and TB (Source: National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies).
A 5% reduction in average vehicle speed can reduce deaths by 30%