NEW DELHI: India witnesses 53 road accidents and 19 deaths every hour, said Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday as he highlighted the need for creating awareness about road safety in the country, especially in schools.Speaking at the Safety 2024 conference, hosted by The George Institute for Global Health and co-sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO), the minister said his department would request two-wheeler companies to give helmets at a discount to buyers as a large number of accidents involve two-wheeler drivers.“It is alarming that 45% of accidents involve two-wheelers, and a significant number of deaths could have been prevented with proper helmet usage. We must prioritize education and awareness campaigns, starting from our schools, to instill a culture of road safety from a young age. Moreover, collaboration with industries, such as encouraging two-wheeler manufacturers to provide helmets with their vehicles, can be a crucial step in saving lives,” he said.As many as 30,000 deaths are of two-wheeler drivers, who don’t wear helmets, he added.According to the annual report on road accidents in India for 2022, the country witnessed 4,61,312 road crashes, resulting in 1,68,491 fatalities and injuries to 4,43,366 individuals.
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