Dr. Ruheela Hassan is a Fulbright Fellow and Senior Assistant Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication at the Islamic University of Science and Technology, Kashmir.
Road traffic injuries are emerging as one of the major causes of death and disability globally, with more than 1.3 million people dying in fatal Road Traffic Accidents annually. As per a WHO report, road traffic injuries are the leading killer of people aged 5-29 years and 57% of road crash fatalities and injuries occur in the age group of 15-64 years, which is considered an economically productive age group (Pastory & Mwamasangula, 2022). Road traffic injuries are currently ranked ninth globally among the leading causes of disability-adjusted life years lost, and the ranking is projected to rise to third. Globally, more men (73%) die in road accidents than women.
The number of incidents and causalities in accidents is increasing with every passing day as the number of vehicles on the roads is also rising. The number of motor vehicles is expected to increase faster in developing countries as they have low figures at present. People in developing countries, which comprise 84% of the global population, currently own around 40% of the world’s motor vehicles. However, 90% of the people who died from road traffic accidents belong to these low and middle- income countries. So, policymakers must recognize this epidemic as a public health crisis and design applicable policy responses. As per the news reports, India ranks third, only after USA and Japan, in road accidents with 480,652 road accidents that claimed 150,785 lives, which is more than any other country (News18, 2022), and the estimated road traffic rate per 1 lakh population in India is 15.56, as reported by the Global Health Observatory of WHO, (World Health Organization, 2021). India possesses only about 1% of the world’s vehicle population, but experiences about six percent of the global road traffic incidents (Sun, 2022).
Road Accidents in Kashmir
Kashmir is passing through a phase of rapid urbanization, motorization, and industrialization, but the lack of safety-related policies and programs has resulted in increased incidences of road traffic accidents. The number of road accidents across Jammu and Kashmir in 2020 was around 5000. Traffic discrepancies have been a major source of death, injury, and property damage every year. A rough detail of the number of road accidents across Jammu and Kashmir in India from 2014-2020 is given in the below table: Moreover, as per the data compiled by the J&K Traffic Police Department, 5036 accidents happened in J&K from January to November 2021 in which 713 persons were killed and 6447 were injured. In Kashmir alone, the figures suggest that 1758 accidents took place since January 2021 in which 192 persons were killed and 2206 injured. 36 persons were killed and 333 injured in Srinagar, 25 were killed and 140 injured in Kulgam, and 21 persons were killed and 340 injured in Anantnag. In the first eight months of this year, 4125 accidents have taken place resulting in 548 deaths and injury to 5638 people (Kashmir Life, 2022).
Impact beyond death
Every person killed in road traffic leaves behind shattered families and communities. Most of those killed are young, in the prime of their lives, whose presence and contributions are greatly needed by families and countries. The impact of such traumatic events is the cumulative toll of suffering, truly unimaginable since millions more are added to the millions of people who are adequately affected and whose suffering is aggravated by inadequate response to their losses. As well as the emotional and psychological pain endured, losing a family member can put a significant financial strain on a family. Families are driven into poverty by the cost of prolonged medical care, the loss of a family breadwinner, or extra funds needed to care for people with disabilities.
Above 50% of the people killed in road accidents are pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. The loss of life and property in road accidents is also a huge loss for nations. Road accidents cost 3% of most countries’ GDP (Gross Domestic Product) (World Health Organization, 2022).
Causes and Risk Factors
There are varied factors that can lead to an accident on road. Multiple human, vehicular and environmental factors contribute to it. Ignorance about traffic rules, Rash driving, violation of traffic rules, Careless attitude, and overconfidence of drivers, also add to it. However, road deaths and injuries are preventable, provided effective road safety interventions are in place and a proper scientific approach to road safety is ensured to tackle the problem of the rising epidemic of road accidents. During the decade 2011- 2020, speeding was the reason for 29 percent of fatal traffic accidents, and 25% of traffic accident deaths. Studies have proven that a cut in average speed can result in a reduction in the number of fatal road accidents by 30%.
As per the report of the National Crime Records Bureau, more than half of the road accidents (59.7 %) in India were due to over-speeding, which accounted for 87,050 deaths and 2.28 lakh injuries. Rash driving was the reason for of one-quarter road accidents, causing 42,853 deaths and injuries to about a lakh people. (Press Trust of India, 2022).
Prevention
The disaster of road accidents can be controlled, but it required involvement from multiple sectors that include motorists, police, healthcare, law, transport department, road users, road construction companies, vehicle designing/production companies, traffic management, and academics. This veritable analysis of the traffic system and interactions between vehicles, road users, and road infrastructure is very critical in developing viable solutions to this problem. In 2017, World Health Organization published a road safety technical package that identified some core components for minimizing the number and mitigating the impact of road accidents. These components, as mentioned in the figure are interrelated and need to be implemented in an integrated manner.
On the driver’s behalf, vehicle conditioning, which includes maintenance of good breaks, lighting, tires, etc. can significantly reduce accidents. The use of seatbelts, helmets, etc. also helps to reduce the impact of road accidents. The governments should strongly recommend steps to ensure that safety features are followed in designing, manufacturing, operating, and maintaining of both motorized and non-motorized vehicles.
Road conditioning is as important as vehicle conditioning. Improving the top 10% highest risk roads in each country over 20 years can prevent millions of deaths and serious injuries (World Health Organization, 2017). Roads should be well maintained with frequent relaying of road surfaces and markings of road safety signs. Marking footpaths/pedestrian crossings and separate lanes for vehicles with different speeds is crucial. Moreover, road junctions should be wide and well-lit so that visibility is good.
While planning road construction and road widening, a futuristic approach is essential. The road features and facilities should be developed considering the expected traffic flows for the coming decades. Strict construction codes need to be developed and strictly adhered to. Best practices among town planners, architects, and highway and traffic engineers need to be encouraged and promoted. Motorists have an important role to play in significantly reducing road accidents. Driver licensing and training is essential to ameliorate the competence of drivers. All licensed motorists should be duly trained and educated about traffic rules and should possess a valid driving license – the issuance of which should be strictly based on the minimum proficiency acquired by the learners. Moreover, periodic medical check-ups of drivers especially that of vision and hearing senses should be made mandatory. Strict rules should be followed for compulsory wearing of helmets by two-wheelers and seat belts by four-wheelers. Avoiding heroic rash driving, ensuring patience while driving, enforcing strict action on drunk driving, removal of encroachments on footpaths and road margins, and preventing haphazard parking of vehicles on busy roads and intersections to ensure the free flow of traffic must be ensured. There is a dire need to strengthen and improve the quality of enforcement to ensure effective and uniform implementation of safety laws.
About the management of accident victims, the initial hour post-accident should be given crucial importance — like “critical 4 min” and “golden hour” — one of the most common causes of a road accident death is due to loss of oxygen supply. This is mostly caused by a blocked airway. Normally it takes less than 4 min for a blocked airway to cause death. The “golden hour” — the first hour after the trauma is called the “golden hour.”. If proper first aid is given, road accident victims have a greater chance of survival and a reduction in the severity of their injuries.
Therefore, the provision of medical care/first aid care facilities on highways and busy roads; provision of ambulances and trained health personnel in shifting and transporting the injured person to nearby hospitals for treatment — should be given priority. The general masses also need to be sensitized about the same. Trauma care centers alongside the National Highways and state highways including local highways should be adequately equipped to provide trauma care and rehabilitation. It is very critical to organize regular awareness campaigns for all sections of society to treat accident victims with sympathy and without fear so that morbidity and mortality can be reduced. Community first responder training should also be encouraged. Besides, encouraging academic research, academia needs to include Road safety education in the curriculum. Disseminating the result of research and identifying examples of good practices through publication, training, conferences, workshops, and websites are also important. Road safety publicity campaigns should be used to propagate good road safety practices among the community. More to say, appropriate measures should be taken to ensure that the required legal, institutional and financial environment for road safety is further strengthened and a mechanism for effective coordination of various stakeholders is put in place. The reforms in these areas should provide for the active and extensive participation of the community, the private sector, academia, and NGOs.