New Delhi: Union minister Nitin Gadkari has urged two-wheeler manufacturers to offer helmets at discounted or reasonable rates to purchasers, highlighting the high number of fatalities due to the lack of helmet use. Speaking at an event, Gadkari revealed that 50,029 people died in road accidents in 2022 because they were not wearing helmets.
Gadkari emphasised the importance of affordable helmet access as a life-saving measure, suggesting that manufacturers could help reduce road deaths by offering discounts. He also underscored the need for better parking arrangements for school buses and pointed out the challenges in enforcing traffic laws despite the hefty penalties imposed by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019.
The minister also expressed his ambition to establish a driving school in every taluka across the country. A recent report titled “National Strategy for Prevention of Unintentional Injury,” compiled by the ministry of health, highlighted that road crashes are the leading cause of unintentional injury deaths in India, accounting for over 43 per cent of such fatalities, with overspeeding as the primary cause. In 2022, unintentional injuries led to 4,30,504 deaths, with road accidents being the most significant contributor.
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