New Delhi, April 9 Road safety awareness is a national movement and requires responsible behavior from all users, said Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Harsh Malhotra on Thursday.
Malhotra emphasized that road safety awareness initiatives are not merely isolated events, but integral components of a larger national movement aimed at fostering a culture of responsible road usage across the country.
The minister reaffirmed the government's unwavering commitment to strengthening road safety and promoting responsible driving behavior as he flagged off the 3rd Edition of the Uttarakhand Adventure Ride organized by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), the minister said in a statement.
Highlighting the scale of the challenge, Malhotra pointed out that road accidents continue to pose a major public safety concern in India, with nearly 1.8 lakh fatalities reported annually.
He further highlighted that approximately 45 per cent of these fatalities involve two-wheelers, underlining the urgent need for riders to adopt safe and responsible practices.
He urged citizens, particularly the youth, to act as ambassadors of road safety and lead by example.
Reiterating the government's proactive and comprehensive approach, Malhotra elaborated on the ministry's 4E strategy -- Engineering, Enforcement, Education, and Emergency Care, which serves as the cornerstone of India's road safety framework.
He highlighted significant progress in improving road engineering, rectifying accident-prone black spots, and strengthening enforcement through legislative measures, such as the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, and enhancing emergency response mechanisms nationwide.
He urged all road users to strictly adhere to traffic rules and refrain from risky behaviors, such as riding without helmets, overspeeding, using mobile phones while driving, and underage driving.
Reinforcing the importance of safety, Malhotra remarked, "A helmet is not a choice, it is protection. Speed is not power, it is risk. Life is important -- no call is more urgent than safety".
Highlighting the growing role of technology, Malhotra referred to the use of AI-based traffic monitoring systems, Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), automated enforcement mechanisms, and FASTag-enabled seamless mobility in improving road safety outcomes.
However, he emphasised that technological advancements must be complemented by responsible human behavior to achieve meaningful and lasting results.
