pedestrians and bicyclists were the most severely hit in road accidents,
accounting for more than 40 percent of the fatalities, said union Road
Transport and Highways Minister C.P. Joshi Tuesday.
Our planning system has led to increase in number of incidents since our
planning focuses on facilitating motorised traffic, instead of the
pedestrians and other non-motorised road users, he added, claiming that
huge behavioural changes were needed, while planning roads and highways.
Joshi was speaking at a workshop organised in Delhi by his ministry.
He said that the amendments proposed to the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988 were
primarily aimed at mitigating the plight of the most vulnerable road users
such as pedestrians.
In the amendments we have proposed severe penalties for drunken driving,
over-speeding and repeated offenses, Joshi said.
According to the minister, the amendments also have provision for grading
of penalties on basis of the severity of the offense.
However, he also added that the urban planning was focused on the vehicles,
not the pedestrians.
I wont call it a big step, but it is a step in positive direction, Joshi
told IANS.
Road Transport and Highways Secretary A.K. Upadhyay said that in developed
countries, the most vulnerable road users get the maximum priority while in
India, the motorists believe they have the maximum priority.
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