Road safety is a must for a healthy life

* World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

Ranjan K Baruah

We know that road accidents may be avoided if we follow all rules and regulations but in spite of that road injuries are seen around the world . Road traffic safety refers to the methods and measures used to prevent road users from being killed or seriously injured. Typical road users include pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, vehicle passengers, horse riders, and passengers of on-road public transport. The Global status report on road safety, launched by the World Health Organisation in December 2018, highlights that the number of annual road traffic deaths has reached 1.35 million. Road traffic injuries are now the leading killer of people aged 5-29 years. The burden is disproportionately borne by pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, in particular those living in developing countries.

More than half of all road traffic deaths are among vulnerable road users: pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. Pedestrians, cyclists, and riders of motorized 2- and 3-wheelers and their passengers are collectively known as "vulnerable road users" and account for half of all road traffic deaths around the world. A higher proportion of vulnerable road users die in low-income countries than in high-income countries.

Since the adoption of the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, pursuant to General Assembly resolution 60/5, the observance has spread to a growing number of countries on every continent. The third Sunday of November is observed and this year 15th November is observed around the globe as the WDRRTV. The Day has become an important tool in global efforts to reduce road casualties. It offers an opportunity for drawing attention to the scale of emotional and economic devastation caused by road crashes and for giving recognition to the suffering of road crash victims and the work of support and rescue services.

The objectives of the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims 2020 are to provide a platform for road traffic victims and their families to:

• remember all people killed and seriously injured on the roads;

• acknowledge the crucial work of the emergency services;

• draw attention to the generally trivial legal response to culpable road deaths and injuries

• advocate for better support for road traffic victims and victim families;

• promote evidence-based actions to prevent and eventually stop further road traffic deaths and injuries.

There is no doubt that road traffic injuries cause considerable economic losses to individuals, their families, and to nations as a whole. These losses arise from the cost of treatment as well as lost productivity for those killed or disabled by their injuries, and for family members who need to take time off work or school to care for the injured. Road traffic crashes cost most countries 3% of their gross domestic product. It is not only loss of materials but loss of lives which can not be replaced . There is no other option but to be alert and aware on roads . We must spread awareness and take action against people who do not respect the road safety rules .

(With direct inputs from UN publication and feedback may be sent to bkranjan@gmail.com)

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