Contribute To Make Roads Safer

Traveling on roads today is not a safe affair. Every second, your life is in extreme danger. Danger of being knocked by a speeding vehicle, danger of being crushed by a rash driver, and what not. The risk increases manifold when you are traveling in a public transport vehicles. The rash driving of the drivers of these vehicles make you pray for life during the entire journey. But should things really be like this?

The condition is the worst in state road transporters, where it should ideally be the safest. If there is someone who can do anything about this, it is YOU.
Yes. You can help make roads safer. We know it is the prerogative of the government to provide safe commute in public transport. But since the government has already failed in this, YOU can force them to take some action.

There is a petition on change.org which if signed in huge numbers, can result in huge steps being taken for road safety. Sign and Share the petition by going to :

https://www.change.org/p/sh-narendra-modi-prime-minister-of-india-sh-nitin-gadkari-minister-for-road-transport-highways-and-shippping-ensure-safety-of-passengers-in-public-transport-vehicles

You can read the entire text of the petition here:

Prime Minister of India Sh. Narendra Modi

Minister for Road Transport Highways and Shipping Sh. Nitin Gadkari

Ensure Safety of Passengers in Public Transport Vehicles

Sir,

The condition of the road transport system in India is in a terrible state. While an alarming number of road travelers die everyday in road accidents, a lot others are left with serious injuries, affecting them for their entire life in many cases.

A major part of these accidents is due to the rash and uncontrolled driving of the State Roadways' and private operators' bus drivers. Many of these drivers drive in a completely irresponsible manner, without caring for the lives of the passengers.

We have gone through the Draft Road Transport and Safety Bill 2015. We also learn from news reports that the Bill is set to be tabled in the ongoing session of the Parliament.

We put forth the following primary requirements to ensure road safety in India:

1. Push the Road Transport and Safety Bill, 2015 and get it passed by consensus in the ongoing session of the parliament ending on 8th May, 2015. If any changes are proposed, they must be expedited by a standing committee and the bill must be passed in the next session.

2. The formation of the National Road Safety Authority of India, as proposed by the bill, will take a long time. Some immediate measures need to be taken.

3. Speed limiters be made mandatory in all the public transport vehicles.

4. The working shifts of drivers be limited to a specific time duration. If the journey is a long one, arrangements should be made to change the driver mid-journey, on lines of the Railways.

5. The relieving of vehicles be made well in time.

6. Accountability of erring drivers be fixed. The lives of the passengers is more costly than any of your political gains. Strong action must be taken.

7. A 24-hour working helpline be set up where passengers can complain about rash driving, even while on-board.

8. Departure and Arrival times of public transport vehicles on various stops be tracked and used to estimate the speed of the vehicles. This could be a short-time replacement of GPS tracking of vehicles, which should be implemented, but will take time. Over-speeding drivers should be suspended after due warnings.

9. A complaint resolution tribunal be set up specifically for such complaints.

A lot of other steps might be needed, but these will also go a long way in ensuring road safety in India.

When an autocratic bill like the Land Acquisition Bill can be pushed through ordinance, we are sure that such an important bill will also be pushed forward. We also expect that the interim steps as proposed above will also be implemented even before the bill is passed and made a law, which we know will take a lot of time.

Sincerely,
Citizens of India