New Delhi, July 24: Experts have highlighted that low-cost measures, such as creating 30 km/h low-speed zones in residential and school areas, can significantly improve road safety. This information was shared during an event organized by the International Road Federation (IRF) on Friday.
The experts emphasized practical and widely applicable measures, including high-visibility zebra crossings and elevated pedestrian crossings, which could lead to a substantial reduction in road accidents.
Professor Geetam Tiwari, former chair of the Transport Research and Injury Prevention Program and an emeritus professor, stated that India can drastically reduce fatalities from road accidents in urban areas through affordable and evidence-based measures. She suggested implementing curb extensions (bulb-outs) to shorten pedestrian crossing distances and creating median refuge islands for safer movement on wide roads.
Professor Tiwari also recommended narrowing lanes to naturally control traffic speed, implementing ‘chicanes’ (slight curves in the road), and improving reflective indicators and road signs to enhance nighttime visibility.
She urged the adoption of best practices being implemented internationally, noting that such practical interventions not only reduce accidents but also improve mobility for all road users.
IRF President Emeritus K.K. Kapila remarked that the rapid pace of urbanization in India’s growing cities is outpacing infrastructure development, leading to increasing road safety challenges. He emphasized that contrary to popular belief, road safety does not solely depend on expensive projects like flyovers and expressways. Most urban road accidents occur due to everyday design flaws on regular roads.
Kapila stated, “Low-cost engineering measures such as roundabouts, elevated pedestrian crossings, traffic calming measures, better street lighting, and safe intersection designs can reduce road accidents by 20 to 80 percent. Their costs are significantly lower than large infrastructure projects, and they can be implemented quickly, providing immediate safety benefits.”
He further noted that several challenges remain in advancing road safety, including the responsibility of multiple agencies, weak enforcement of traffic rules, the complexity of improving existing urban roads, fragmented financial systems, inadequate accident data, lack of post-accident medical arrangements, and opposition to allocating road space for pedestrians and cyclists.
Akhilesh Srivastava, President of the ITS India Forum, emphasized the importance of integrating intelligent transport systems (ITS) with proven engineering measures.
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