Drunk Driving: Biggest Killer On Indian Roads
It has been disheartening to note that in a vast, overpopulated country like India, even after the emphasis on harsher punishments, national education and stricter limitations, the problem of driving while intoxicated, still remains a leading cause of injury and death.
As per the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, on an average, 16 people die every hour, across India in road mishaps.
Although the report titled ‘Road Accidents in India 2014’ carries the statistics indicating the number of persons injured and dead in road hazards, it doesn’t precisely mention the number of persons affected by drunk driving.
The official website of the Delhi Traffic Police says “Impairment by alcohol is an important factor in causing accidents and in increasing the consequences of the same”. Not only the person behind the wheel is affected but drunk driving puts at risk, the life of innocent people too. “Alcohol consumption by drivers puts both riders of motorized two wheelers and pedestrians at risk”, it adds.
In 2014, across India, a total of 4,89,400 accidents led to 1,37,572 deaths and 4,93,474 injuries have occurred. Most number of road accidents has been witnessed by Tamil Nadu followed by Maharashtra and then Madhya Pradesh.
Have a look at the following states which accounted for 86.3% of total road accidents in the entire country.
According to National Crime Records Bureau, as compared to 2010, the number of road accidents have gone up from around 4,30,600 to 4,50,898, marking a 4.7% increase in 2014. The number of vehicles has gone up from around 1,14,953 to 1,59,490, which is a 38.7% increase.
Traffic police in major cities like Delhi and Mumbai have been conducting sustained campaigns against drunk driving.
World Health Organisation states, “The immediate effects of alcohol are either stimulating or depressing on the brain in nature, depending on the consumed quantity”. It further says that consuming alcohol “results in impairment which increases the likelihood of a crash since it produces poor judgement, lower vigilance, increased reaction time and decreased visual acuity. Even at relatively low BAC- Blood Alcohol Concentration, levels, alcohol can impair judgement and increase crash risk. However, as the BAC increases the effects become progressively worsens”. Alcohol, physiologically also lowers blood pressure, respiration and depresses consciousness.
The law states that if any person under the influence of drugs or alcohol, attempts to drive or is driving a motor vehicle and is found to have an alcohol level exceeding 30 mg per 100 ml of blood detected by a breath analyzer, shall be punished.
Drunk driving happens to be one of the biggest killers on the roads in India, yet our motor vehicle drivers choose to drive their vehicles on alcohol power, rather than on diesel/petrol/CnG power. They mostly fall prey to dangerous drinking habits, which, once started as a fancy/amusement, turn to be dominating masters over the drunken people. A driver’s job demands attentive control on the steering seat but this menace of drinking drastically curbs their reflex actions and they fall prey to misjudgment and wrong decisions ultimately resulting in accidents, sometimes very tragic and horrendous.
BE SENSIBLE - MEND HABITS - SAVE YOURSELF & OTHERS
Health Safety Environment Freelance (HSE) Trainer Oil & Gas, Construction Safety Specialist - Ready To Make A Difference
7 年Anand Ji - Your this article stands as One of the most comprehensive analysis on road safety across our cherished country. Your this presentation would definitely help improve ground realities in the forthcoming immediate future.