Role of Road Safety in character & Nation Building | Harman Singh Sidhu | TEDxRayatBahraUniversity
Summary
TLDRThe speaker addresses the alarming frequency of road crashes in India, comparing the daily death toll to a Boeing plane crash with 400 passengers. They emphasize that these accidents are preventable and discuss the significant economic and social impact, including the burden on healthcare and the loss of young, productive lives. The talk highlights five key areas for road safety improvement: policy, infrastructure, vehicle safety, user behavior, and post-crash response. The speaker shares personal experiences and advocates for change, urging listeners to reflect on their driving habits and the importance of road safety for the nation's development.
Takeaways
- π° The script addresses the commonality of road crash news and the general public's desensitization to it.
- βοΈ The speaker differentiates between 'accidents' and 'crashes', emphasizing that crashes are preventable and not random.
- π The script highlights the staggering daily death toll from road crashes in India, equating it to a Boeing plane full of passengers crashing every day.
- π₯ It points out the significant economic cost of road crashes, which is equivalent to 3% of India's GDP.
- π₯ The speaker stresses the human impact behind the statistics, noting that each crash victim is part of a family and community.
- π¦ The script identifies five key areas for improving road safety: policy, safe roads, safer vehicles, safe road user behavior, and post-crash response.
- π The speaker discusses the role of roadside liquor shops in contributing to road crashes and their pervasive presence along highways.
- π The script shares the speaker's personal experience and advocacy efforts to remove liquor shops from highways, including legal battles and policy changes.
- π It calls for collective action and awareness to improve road safety, drawing a parallel between individual behavior on the road and national character.
- π The speaker concludes with an analogy to ants, emphasizing the importance of discipline and coordination in preventing road crashes.
Q & A
What is the main difference between an 'accident' and a 'crash' as described in the script?
-An 'accident' is described as something that happens by chance, whereas a 'crash' is a more intentional term, often used for incidents like plane crashes, where there are scientific reasons behind the event. The script emphasizes that crashes are typically avoidable and have identifiable causes.
How does the speaker compare road crash fatalities to airplane crashes?
-The speaker compares the daily road crash fatalities in India to a Boeing plane full of 400 passengers crashing every day, emphasizing the scale and impact of road crashes, which are often overlooked as 'accidents' but are actually avoidable.
What is the approximate number of road crash fatalities per day in India according to the script?
-The script suggests that approximately 400 people die every day in road crashes in India.
How does the speaker describe the economic impact of road crashes on India?
-The economic impact is described as being around 3% of India's GDP, which is more than the budget allocated for national defense or health, indicating a significant financial burden due to avoidable road crashes.
What is the demographic most affected by road crashes according to the speaker?
-The demographic most affected by road crashes is the young and productive age group, specifically between fifteen to forty years old.
What is the speaker's personal experience with road crashes?
-The speaker shares a personal experience of being involved in a road crash at the age of 26, which led to significant hospitalization and life-altering injuries.
What are the five key areas for road safety improvement mentioned in the script?
-The five key areas for road safety improvement mentioned are having a policy on road safety, safe roads, safer vehicles, safe road user behavior, and post-crash response.
What specific issue is the speaker fighting against in relation to road safety?
-The speaker is fighting against the presence of liquor shops along highways, which they believe contribute to road crashes due to the easy availability of alcohol.
What was the outcome of the legal battle mentioned by the speaker regarding liquor shops on highways?
-The High Court initially ordered that liquor shops should not be accessible or visible from highways, but state governments appealed to the Supreme Court, which then ordered the removal of liquor shops from highways. However, there is an ongoing struggle as there is an amendment that might allow them to return.
How does the speaker suggest individuals can contribute to improving road safety?
-The speaker suggests that individuals can contribute by following five basic safe driving practices: not speeding, not driving under the influence, wearing helmets or seatbelts, not using mobile phones while driving, and ensuring visibility.
Outlines
π¨ The Neglected Reality of Road Crashes
The speaker begins by highlighting the routine nature of road crash news, which often fails to evoke a sense of urgency or change in public behavior. They emphasize that crashes are not accidents but predictable events with identifiable causes. The speaker uses the analogy of a Boeing plane crash to illustrate the magnitude of daily road crash fatalities in India, comparing it to a plane crash every day. They stress the avoidable nature of these incidents and the significant loss of life, which is often overlooked. The speaker also points out that each statistic represents a person and a family affected, urging the audience to consider the human cost behind the numbers.
π₯ The Economic and Social Impact of Road Crashes
In this paragraph, the speaker delves into the economic impact of road crashes, noting that the cost associated with these incidents is approximately 3% of India's GDP, which is a staggering figure. They point out that this cost is higher than the national defense or health budget, indicating a significant misallocation of resources. The speaker also discusses the demographic affected, focusing on the young and productive age group, and shares a personal story of being a victim of a road crash at the age of 26. They describe the psychological and physical challenges faced during recovery, including the impact on their mobility and independence. The speaker concludes by emphasizing the importance of addressing the root causes of road crashes and the need for a collective effort to prevent them.
πΈ Solutions and the Role of Individual Responsibility
The speaker outlines five key areas for improving road safety: policy, infrastructure, vehicle safety, user behavior, and post-crash response. They focus on the importance of safe road user behavior, listing five specific actions that can significantly reduce the risk of crashes: obeying speed limits, avoiding driving under the influence, wearing helmets or seatbelts, not using mobile phones while driving, and ensuring good visibility. The speaker also addresses the issue of roadside liquor shops, which they argue contribute to impaired driving and crashes. They share their personal experience advocating for the removal of these shops from highways, highlighting the legal battles and the ongoing struggle to enforce safety regulations. The speaker concludes by urging the audience to observe and learn from the coordinated behavior of ants, suggesting that better discipline and cooperation on the roads can lead to a safer and more developed society.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Accident vs. Crash
π‘Road Safety
π‘Policy on Road Safety
π‘Safe Roads
π‘Safer Vehicles
π‘Safe Road User Behavior
π‘Post-Crash Response
π‘Economic Impact
π‘Productive Age Group
π‘Liquor Shops
π‘Behavioral Change
Highlights
The speaker emphasizes the routine nature of reading about road crashes in the newspapers and the general public's desensitization to the issue.
The distinction is made between 'accidents' and 'crashes', with crashes being preventable and requiring investigation for causes.
A startling comparison is made between daily road crash fatalities and the impact if a Boeing plane crashed every day.
The speaker points out that road crashes result in a significant number of deaths and injuries, affecting families and communities.
Economically, road crashes cost India approximately 3% of its GDP, which is more than the health or defense budget.
The speaker shares a personal story of being affected by a road crash at the age of 26, highlighting the human impact.
The importance of hospital resources being occupied by road crash victims is discussed, with 50% of capacity used for such injuries.
The speaker argues that road crashes are preventable and that inaction is not an option, using the metaphor of a boulder on the road.
The psychological impact of road crashes, including the speaker's own experience, is shared to illustrate the long-term effects.
The speaker discusses the prevalence of roadside liquor shops and their correlation with road crashes.
A legal battle to remove liquor shops from highways is described, showing the speaker's active engagement in the issue.
The speaker calls for a change in road user behavior, listing five basic safety measures that can prevent road crashes.
The impact of roadside liquor shops is quantified with data from the government of India, showing their density along highways.
The speaker advocates for continued efforts to remove liquor shops from highways despite legal challenges.
The speaker draws a comparison between human road behavior and the orderly conduct of ants, suggesting humans can learn from their discipline.
A final plea is made for individuals to improve their road behavior for the betterment of society and the country.
Transcripts
all right so you see this slide what do
you think about it this is something
which is a routine something that we
read every day in the newspapers and
what comes to our mind we think all
right the figure changes it's 6:00 today
probably it would be a tomorrow and add
the max what we do we read the location
not okay if I'm from Chandigarh has this
happened in Chandigarh and if it is
chanting heard I just go through the
names of the victims if I know them I
would be affected if I don't know them I
would say all right just another
accident
so accident per se is the wrong word
it's a crash the difference in word
because accident is something which
happens by chance and crash as we use
for the planes if there is a unfortunate
crash we look for these scientific
reasons just giving you an example if I
start moving forward we all know what
would happen I wouldn't fall down and I
would get injured so would we call it an
accident
no because there's a reason behind it
and we all know what is the what that
reason is and the next thing is what can
we do about it
yes that's a problem what can I do about
it
it's morning and we have our own daily
SH and you lined up so all we say is I
can do nothing about it and I'll
probably forget this within seconds
after going to the sports page so
how are these news items piling up if we
talk about India just one country you
see this graphic of a Boeing plane
imagine a Boeing plane full of 400
passengers and a full plane crashing
every day in our country what would
happen this would become a headline of
every newspaper and it would be covered
in nearly every TV show or news all
across the world am i right and it would
be nearly just in India 1 lakh
50,000 dead in one year and if you break
it down that comes to that figure of 400
per day so if I take complete 18 minutes
in 18 minutes there would be nearly 6
people who would be dead somewhere in
our country on our roads and which is
something which is really avoidable now
you see on the screen you see 10 planes
so multiply this figure all over the
world 10 planes crashing so that's the
impact if that that's the astonishing
figure just because of these avoidable
road crashes so these many lives are
being lost and at least you multiply
this by 10 there are serious
consequences for example people with
life altering injuries injuries that
cannot be probably cured
now we were talking about figures and we
are talking what can we do about it so
this is just one of those figures behind
every
he figured that I'm talking about let's
say four hundred people a day behind
every figure there is a face there is a
family which is getting affected and
there's a mother who's upsetness
probably a father a child a brother a
sister a friend so that's the magnitude
of this problem so imagine all this
happening every day every minute and all
the hospitals are nearly full with 50%
of their capacity being used by people
with injuries coming out of road crashes
so that economically it comes to
approximately 3% of our GDP the gross
domestic product our defense budget our
health budget the national defense or
the health budget is lesser than that so
we are wasting more money into this
avoidable thing and unfortunately
further unfortunately most of those
people who are dying they are young then
the most productive age group of fifteen
to forty and this is my picture I was 26
when this happened and now this 24
thought to work I'll be 21 years old
again so that's how things change now
just giving you an example you can see
you on one side there are pebbles and
then there's a big rock on the road so
when we are faced by challenges a small
pebble in the front wheel of my
wheelchair would look to me like this
rock because I would not be able to move
it myself
I'll be stuck so should we stop there
because if any of us is going on a road
and this kind of boulder falls on the
road what are we supposed to do are we
supposed to stop there forever and not
try and do something no that that's it's
never the end of it so that emptiness
that my friend was just talking about
the psychological health and the
psychotic issues I was in a plaster
jacket from head till my chest for more
than four months lying in the bed just
the only thing I could see was the roof
and subsequently nearly two years in the
hospital up and down and that was my
only outing earlier I used to go up hill
and now I was tied to the bed so that
was the difference and this rock
explains it all so this issue took me as
I was telling took me to the hospital
and when I used to go to the emergency
incidentally it became my habit that I
used to look at the board
there's a board written like how many
new patients have come in their age and
the reason so RTA is row traffic injury
and that was the first time that I
realized that the magnitude of the
problem half of that was filled up with
RT ice and it normally doesn't bother us
because probably the person inside is
not known to us but if you think you
won't take more than 30 seconds you
would come to know that some relative
somebody from your family a close friend
must have definitely got affected by a
root cache and like we are all affected
by this problem which is totally
avoidable and as for the International
Studies and the
it is scientifically proven as how we
can deal with this problem there are
five things one is having a policy on
road safety second having safe roads
third having safer vehicles fourth is
safe road user behavior and v is post
crash drama which is if all the first
four fail then the ambulance and the
hospital but to avoid this if we come
and talk about the fourth part witches
through user behavior out of these if
you just take care of five basic things
one the speed at which you drive second
is driving under the influence of any
alcohol or drug third not wearing helmet
or a seatbelt and forth using mobile
while driving and fifth visibility so
just five things you would be quite safe
and out of these just one small thing
you can see these pictures and you can
relate to it
these are roadside liquor shops probably
you might not think the kind of impact
they are again giving you a piece of
data which comes from the government of
india if you're traveling on national
highway one from Panipat in Haryana to
Dillinger in Punjab its 291 kilometers
which has 185 liquor shops it had these
many liquor shops so if you divide it it
becomes nearly one and a half kilometre
one liquor shop if you're driving at the
Indian national speed limit of 90
kilometers an hour every one minute you
come across a liquor shop so that means
if you're driving down this is just one
stretch of the road every one minute
you'll come across a liquor shop so any
kind of enforcement or awareness would
fail with this kind of
availability and why are these people on
the road because that's where these
sailors the maximum and these businesses
are owned by very powerful people who
have all kinds of contacts controls what
and what not so in spite of knowing this
problem this issue was not being
addressed so it's been more than six
years now that I've been working on this
issue of getting these liquor shops
removed from the IPAs so I had not known
the legal procedures as how these things
go so it started by approaching the
Honourable High Court the High Court
ordered that liquor shops should not be
accessible or visible from the highways
and within just five days the state
governments they move the Supreme Court
and then the Honorable Supreme Court
ordered that liquor shops should be
removed from the highways but there is
now an amendment and probably very soon
you would be finding them again back
onto the road but that's not going to be
the end of it we will continue with this
fight and probably would come up with a
revised order so why I am saying this is
that time and again I am saying what can
I do about it
we can all do something about something
just look at this picture you would see
two things one we the humans that's how
we behave on the road and second is the
ants just see the difference they are
not humans they are not being guided by
any third party or police they're all
following the rules whenever you are out
of here just notice them for a minute
they never have a traffic jam they never
have a road crash the reason they
coordinate properly with each other
they follow a discipline and that is
where we are lacking we as humans we
lack here we want our country to be
amongst the most developed countries if
you see you land from the plane you
travel to any other country the first
thing you see is the road and the way
the vehicles are moving so that shows
our character so your character on the
road is a your behavior on the road is a
reflection of your character so if we
are properly moving on the road we won't
be pushing each other at the door and
we'll be working properly so that's the
only difference between our country and
countries like Japan and other countries
which are far ahead so just one little
request please try to follow these ants
we'll all be better human beings and
better countrymen and it will be good
for all of us thanks a lot
[Applause]
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