New accident recording format

• A new Road Accident Data Recording and Reporting Format has been rolled out by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) with a view to moving closer towards an accurate, consistent, and objective road accident database
• The comprehensive recording and reporting format, to be executed by all States and Union Territories, is aimed at bringing out the underlying real cause of the road accident so that stakeholders can take corrective and preventive steps.

About the new format:

• The recording format, to be filled in by the police at the site of the accident, has five sections specifically to record primary data on road accidents (and not to replace the FIR), capturing the actual circumstances of the accident.
• The five sections are: accident identification details, road-related details, vehicles involved in accident, driver’s details, and persons other than drivers involved in accident.
• As many as 55 indices, including weather condition, GPS location, surface condition of road, road type, speed limit, visibility at the time of accident, physical divider, ongoing road works, and use of safety device, have been incorporated in the new recording form.
• The new format will help in finding out real cause, help thorough investigation and implement road safety measures in accident sites.

Why there is rise in accidents in India:

• Negligence of the citizens: Every law fails to have its impact if the citizen doesn't support it. There are numerous cases of rash driving, drunken driving, driving by children under 18 years
• Pathetic conditions of roads: Road conditions are not improving with the rate of increasing rate of vehicles and the roads which are present are also not of international standards. The roads are not designed with proper methods and the material used in the construction is of substandard quality.
• Unsafe vehicle design- The international auto companies when launch the models in Indian market generally avoid security features present in their European or American versions to increase their profits. They charge prices for security features like ABS airbags which are strictly required in developed countries. In less developed they take the benefits of loose rules.
• Lack of proper laws: The laws for the traffic is obsolete now and don't match with current scenario; also there is less enforcement of existing laws.

By: Vishal