Training of drivers and road users education

By:Mahesh Rajoria

General Manager (DTS & LPD), MSILDirector (IDTRs)

Agenda of presentation

Global scenario

India scenario

Lets together make it happen

1.3 million Fatalities per year

50 million Injured per year

Road Safety - A Global scenario

It is expected that in next 20 years, road

traffic injuries will be fifth leading

contributor to global burden of disease &

injury, if no concrete measure is taken

Road Safety-In Contrast

Source: India Today dated 23.11.2009

Fatalities / 1000 vehicles

Ratio – Injured v/s Dead

Road Injuries p.a.

Road Fatalities p.a.

Road Accidents p.a.

Total Vehicles

INDIA

15.7

5:1

4.65 Lakhs

1,14,590

4.18 Lakhs

72.7 Lakhs

U.S.

0.91

69:1

29 Lakhs

42,636

64 Lakhs

470 Lakhs

India, 2nd largest road network, accounts for

• 1% of the world’s vehicles population.

• 6% of the world’s accidents.

• 10 % of the world’s accident fatalities per year.

• 44% of the road fatalities in the Asia –Pacific region.

Road Safety – A national concern

8196678911

80888

84674 85998

9261894968

105749

115590118239

50000

60000

70000

80000

90000

100000

110000

120000

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Deaths due to accidentsPEOPLE KILLED IN ROAD ACCIDENTS IN INDIA

Ref :- Times of India, Date : 16 Nov. 2008

Fatalities due to accidents

India - Every year increasing trend

11.97%10.96% 10.81% 10.21%

7.45%

0.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

8.00%

10.00%

12.00%

14.00%

Andhra Pradesh Maharashtra Tamil Nadu Uttar Pradesh Karnataka

Fatalities during 2008

Fig in percentage of total road deaths in the top 5 states: TOI 24-Feb-10

(2008)

Road Fatalities - Top 5 states

17.60%

14.30%

8.70%

6.60% 6.40%

5.10%4.30%

3.00% 3.00% 2.90%

2.00%

7.00%

12.00%

17.00%

22.00%

Ref :- India Today, Date : 23 Nov. 2009

Fig in percentage of total road deaths in the top 35 cities: India today 23-Nov-09

Road Fatalities - Top 10 cities

71.9% road deaths takes place in 10 cities

Truck, 21.5

Bus, 11.2

Tempo/Vans, 5.3Jeep, 8.4

Car, 8.7Three Wheeler, 5.7

Two Wheeler, 19.1

Bicycle, 2.7

Pedestrian, 8.8Others, 8.6

Deaths due to accidents

RRef: India Today dated 23.11.2009

Responsible for fatalities

General perception is

• Increasing number of vehicles

Where does the problem lie ?

IS IT THE ACTUAL PROBLEM

Sample This

If

number of vehicles

is a problem -Probably this country

would have maximum rate of

accidents & fatalities

Photo: Highway in China

By improving a combination of following reduces

fatal or serious accidents:

• Vehicles

• Roads

• Laws

• Driver education

How to Reduce Accidents

• Drivers’ fault – 78%

• Pedestrian Fault – 1.4%

• Mechanical Fault in Vehicle – 2%

• Bad Roads – 1.4%

• Others – 17%• Bad weather• Cattle coming in the way• Absence/non-functioning of road signals• Absence of signage

Causes of road accidents in India

What can be the issue – Skill, awareness…

Heterogeneity of traffic.

Lack of enforcement of law.

Inadequate infrastructure.

Low priority on Safety education and

behaviour training

What are other reasons

Simple Road User

That is formation of a Habit or Behavior

Village Road City Road

More… Simple Road Users

Walking any where becomes right

… Simple Road User

Who is going to tell him what is the right way?

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Slow moving vehicles blocks the road

Three lanes – converted into five lanes

Traffic Congestion1 2 3 54

Lanes are there, Traffic Signs are there

… Traffic CongestionStopped in inclined position – obstructing all lanes

Made its own lane

Squeezed in

Are they aware of the loss…

Some More Everyday Dangers

Obstruction & Hazard

One lane occupied by this stopped vehicle

No fear of getting killed

Squeezing in between two vehicles

No Helmet

Lane Driving?

Driving on high speed lane with the minimum speed

Any type of vehicle on any lane at any speed.

Photos of Delhi-Gurgaon Express Way

24

Road Discipline – in contrast India:Erratic pattern of driving

Other countries:Plying in middle of the lane

Attitude is leading to this behavior

The road users are not aware of the hazards.

No one is asking them to follow rules.

The behavior becomes habit

Observations

Adopt what others are doing. Solutions adopted from low fatality rate

countries or developed countries may not work.

How to go about

Identify Root Cause, leave out symptoms

We have to start afresh ourselves keeping basic principle same.

Solution lies within us … Change the behavior

Let us analyse,

the following can be attributed this behaviour:

• Lack of awareness

• Attitude – developed when young

• Skill levels – may be too low

• Social environment (includes stress level)

• Use of drugs (alcohol)

Can we Change it

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For a start, it would be ideal if we acquaint ourselves with some of the facts. Systematic reviews of the scientific literature provide the following insights.4

Educational programmes by themselves are usually insufficient to change overall behaviour: they may increase knowledge, but rarely result in appropriate behaviour change among road users at the societal level.

A few individuals may change their behaviour, but individuals also behave differently on the same day under different circumstances.

Driver education may be necessary for beginners to learn the elementary skills required to obtain a driving licence, but compulsory training in schools leads to early licensing. There is no evidence that such schemes result in reductions in crash rates.

Most attempts at enforcing road traffic legislation do not have any lasting effects, either on road user behaviour or on crash rates, unless the effort is sustained.

Stricter penalties (in the form of higher fines or longer prison sentences) do not affect road user behaviour; imposing stricter penalties often reduces the level of enforcement.

Enforcement of laws against driving under the influence of alcohol, a minimum age for the consumption of alcohol, and sobriety checkpoints are measures that do reduce the incidence of road traffic injuries.

THE NATIONAL MEDICAL JOURNAL OF INDIA (VOL. 17, No.2, 2004 65)

Enforcement Education

The Correlation

Time line

Mag

nitu

de

Both have to go hand in hand … sustained

30

What is Needed

• ENFORCEMENT • EDUCATION• TRAINING

For all levels, all segments, all age groups

• ENFORCEMENT • EDUCATION• TRAINING

Sustained

31

Actions for Road Users Education

Affirmative & Positive

Maruti Suzuki’s Focus on Road Safety

To create capacity for good quality driving training:

Develop a network of driving schools

Train the trainers for the driving schools

For over 10 years Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL) is

Promoting road safety through driving training.Creating driving training infrastructure in the country

Maruti Suzuki & Road Safety

Partnering with the State Governments

Maruti-Suzuki Dealer Network

6 IDTR(Institute of Driving & Traffic Research)

120 MDS(Maruti driving Schools)

6 Lakhs people trained in IDTR

Over 700 trainers trained

1.25 Lakhs people trained across India by Maruti Driving Schools (MDS)

Approx. 50% are women learners

Road Safety Thro’ Driving Education

DelhiWazirabad RoadActivated in March 2000

Sarai kale Khan Activated in Nov. 2006

IDTR Infrastructure

DehradunActivated in November 2009

VadodraActivated in November 2009

IDTR Infrastructure

Scientifically engineered tracksStandard formations for rigorous training / testing.

Hill track of about 60 m length going upto a height of 2 m.

Separate testing areas for LMV , HMV & 3 wheelers.

Provision to run more than 50 vehicles in various categories on the tracks simultaneously.

Infrastructure- Driving Tracks

Structured Curriculum

Interactive classes

Multimedia content

Content for adult learning

Simulators

A tool to create virtual reality environment to learn driving

Helps remove apprehensions of learner drivers

Extensive Exercises to enhances operational skills.

Virtual driving situations - Rain, fog, night, variable traffic density

Modern Technology for Learning

Maruti Driving Schools

Future Road Users

The Network

6 IDTRs in 5 Cities

120 MDS in 90 Cities

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“A safe travel from home to home”“A safe travel from home to home”

DEFENSIVE DRIVING

WISH YOUWISH YOU