The Hindu : National : Road traffic fatalities cross a lakh annually

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Nov 18, 2006
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Road traffic fatalities cross a lakh annually

Special Correspondent

Third Sunday of every November to be the day for remembering road traffic victims

CHENNAI: Even as road traffic fatalities in India have crossed one lakh annually, the nation is set to observe the "World Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims" on November 19.

The magnitude of the problem is that an estimated 1.3 million people suffer serious injuries in road mishaps, according to the Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE), a non-government organisation.

In October last year, the United Nations declared that the third Sunday of every November would be marked as the day for remembering road traffic victims.

The institute, which is a member of the United Nations Global Road Safety Collaboration, has taken the initiative to campaign and bring awareness among the public on the need to support road accident victims by involving the youth as partners, its president, Rohit Baluja, said. Besides pledging support, all possible steps should be taken by all stakeholders in reducing and preventing road accidents.

Mr. Baluja said a special event, to be presided over by Madan Lokur, Judge, Delhi High Court, would be organised at the Sri Ram Auditorium, Mandi House, New Delhi, to mark the day. University students had been invited to participate. Speakers from the transport, police, judiciary, medical, media, health and insurance sectors would address the students. College students would perform a skit/play. The highlight of the event would be to listen to some of the survivors or family members of accident victims.

The organisation had written to traffic police in all mega cities and non-governmental organisations to hold similar programmes as part of the observance.

The IRTE's aim include involving the youth in creating awareness and training them to become defensive road users and ensure their safety, promoting the message of safety among their family members, friends and other stakeholders and spreading awareness about the right of a road user, responsibilities towards reducing road accidents and to care for victims, right to report accidents and right to justice and compensation.

The IRTE and other organisations are to jointly organise a three-day international workshop on "Road safety education for developing countries" from January 11 in New Delhi.

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