With deaths and injuries due to road accidents and drowning on the rise, a recent study by National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) shows that 60% of the deaths are due to road accidents.
Nimhans gets around 1,000 cases a month — 25-30 cases per day — of head injuries and deaths related to road accidents.
Dr Gautham M Sukumar, Additional Professor, Department of Epidemiology, Centre for Public Health, NIMHANS, said that among head injury cases and fatalities, two-wheeler riders make up 60-70 per cent, and children constitute seven to nine per cent.
Though children constitute less than 10 per cent of the cases, it's a major loss to the country, he said.
“We have also noticed that the number of minors, especially those in the 14-18 age group, is on the rise. At least 70% of head injury and road accident cases belong to this age group. They are too young to understand road safety, are just starting to get independent, and exposure is also high. Their numbers on roads is also on the rise,” he said.
To address the issue of road safety, NIMHANS is working with Bengaluru Traffic Police to assess the safety of children on roads. The team is also working on a separate policy for children, as the number of kids suffering injuries and dying is on the rise.
A senior police official admitted to the need to improve traffic and road safety laws. "If a minor is found riding a vehicle, not only is the rider/driver booked, the minor's guardian and vehicle owner are booked. Incidents of children dying due to road accidents and drowning are on the rise, compared to other cases,” he admitted.
The NIMHANS team, along with Bloomberg, John Hopkins University, transport department and traffic police, have taken up a study of roads and reasons for accidents. The speed of vehicles in the city ranges from 15 kmph to 74 kmph, depending on the signal, traffic congestion, location and timing. A thorough road safety audit is required.
