Question : ROAD ACCIDENTS

(a) whether the number of road accidents in the country has increased over the years;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the factors responsible for increase in the number of road accidents in the country including number of persons killed during the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;

(c) whether the Government has made systematic assessment of current road safety management system and formulated any policy to prevent road accidents and if so, action taken thereon;

(d) whether the Government proposes to provide free/cashless treatment to the victims of road accidents; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI KRISHANPAL GURJAR)

(a) & (b) No, Madam. As per the data of Road Accidents in India 2012 published by Transport Research Wing of the Ministry, that number of road accidents in the country have decreased from 4,97,686 in 2011 to 4,90,383 in 2012. Details of State-wise/Union Territory wise number of total road accidents and number of persons killed in road accidents in the States/ UTs during each of the years 2010 to 2012 (the latest available data) are at Annexure I.

(c) A Committee under the Chairmanship of Shri S. Sundar, former Secretary, Ministry of Surface Transport was constituted in 2005 inter-alia to recommend a draft National Road Safety Policy. The Committee recommended the draft National Road Safety Policy which was approved by the Government in March 2010. Based on the approved National Road Safety Policy, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has adopted a multi pronged strategy to improve road safety. The Ministry also formed five separate working groups on four Es of Road Safety viz. (i) Education (ii) Enforcement (iii) Engineering (roads as well as vehicles) and (iv) emergency care. The working submitted its report which was placed on the website of the Ministry for implementation by the States Government.

(d) and (e) In order to give a boost to emergency care of the road accident victims, a pilot project has been launched by the MoRTH on Gurgaon - Jaipur section of NH 8, for providing cashless treatment to road accident victims for 48 hours or Rs. 30,000/- whichever is earlier. The Ministry also intends to launch two more pilot project for cashless treatment to road accident victims on (i) Ahmedabad Mumbai Stretch of NH 8 and (ii) Ranchi Rargaon Mahulia stretch of NH 33.