Public Negligence a Major Cause of Road Accidents, Says Nitin Gadkari

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has expressed deep concern over the rising number of road accidents in India, attributing the issue to public negligence and a lack of fear of the law. Despite the central government's ongoing efforts to reduce accidents, the number of victims continues to increase every year, he said.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha during a session, Gadkari revealed that 1.68 lakh people died in road accidents over the past year, with 60% of the victims being young individuals. He described road accidents as a significant national concern, highlighting the personal connection he has to the issue. Recalling his own experience, Gadkari mentioned that he had fractured his leg in a road accident during his tenure as an opposition leader in Maharashtra.

Gadkari stressed that reducing road accidents would be impossible without the cooperation of public representatives, the media, and citizens. He expressed disappointment over the lack of adherence to traffic rules, pointing out that even higher fines have failed to ensure compliance. He gave examples of people crossing red signals and not wearing helmets, incidents he said he had personally witnessed.

The minister outlined four critical areas that need attention to address road safety effectively: road engineering, automobile engineering, strict implementation of traffic laws, and increasing public awareness. He urged collective action from all stakeholders to prevent the loss of lives caused by road accidents.