RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE WORKSHOP

Engage the mobility providers- road and corporate bodies connected to road transport

Traffic engineering for management of mixed traffic assumes extra significance. Major cities with a population of more than a million and all State PWD Division/Region should set up a Traffic Engineering Centre (TEC) to implement the scientific principles of engineering to reduce accidents and congestion.

TECs should be under the supervision and guidance from the highest level of state government, for example, the Chief Secretary of the State. TECs should be managed by the road department in association with the traffic police.

TECs should be a coordinated partnership project involving road authorities, traffic police, municipal corporation and local health departments.

The vehicle manufacturers, insurance and oil companies may fund the facilities (equipments) required for establishment of TECs.

Development of professional expertise (capacity building)

All traffic engineering designs and operational plans will be developed by the TECs using scientific knowledge and experience of traffic engineering in the country and around the world after due consultation with local citizens as well as establishments.

TECs must only employ qualified/trained traffic engineers having specialised degree from universities to achieve the real objectives of such Centres.

Traffic control devices should be standardised in line with the Geneva and Vienna protocols under a statutory mandate from the Department of Road Transport and Highways, and there should be uniformity in the application of these devices.

Training programmes on international standards should be organised with assistance of World Bank/Asian Development Bank etc.

Build programme based on scientific investigation and analysis

All traffic design measures for road safety should be evolved based on the scientific analysis of the best evidence available in accident records, for which accident investigation and recording system are to be strengthened. Other guiding factors including; traffic violations, congestion etc. may also be considered for improving traffic flow and safety.

Road safety audit must be regularly carried out by a competent team of TEC.

All crashes involving death or serious injury must be scientifically investigated and analyzed based on accurate data to be collected by specialized team of TEC at accident scene. Black spot and route investigation should be taken up by TEC to identify what infrastructure improvements could help to avoid future accidents.

All traffic design and control measures would be developed based on the specific conditions of the site and the traffic, and whenever possible, should be self-enforcing. Every offence must have effective punishment, for which Ministry of Home Affairs and Dept of Road Transport and highways need to be involved for legislative and administrative provisions. Traffic police should be fully equipped with enforcement equipments and appropriate training.

Traffic engineering for vulnerable road users

Special care must be taken in all traffic engineering designs to consider the requirements of different types of road users, particularly the vulnerable road users like pedestrians, two wheeled vehicles, children, disabled and the aged.

Pedestrians must be considered as priority users and appropriate designs used to ensure their safety through properly designed and maintained pedestrian facilities in all the urban roads without exception.

Non-motorised traffic must be brought under the jurisdiction of traffic laws with strict enforcement. Ministry of Home Affairs and Police authorities in association with Department of Road Transport & Highways should ensure the required legislative and administrative provisions to be incorporated and keep check on their implementation. For this purpose training to police personnel needs to be arranged.

Non-motorised traffic to be encouraged by provision of suitable traffic engineering measures in operations of traffic.

University curricula and professional development.

Universities and IITs/ NITs must adopt/update advanced and most practical contents in the specialization curriculum of traffic engineering with best practices from around the world.

Create proper understanding in traffic police about the traffic safety through traffic engineering. NGOs like IRTE may be approached to scope needs of traffic police.

Developing political responsibility and commitment

It is important to send these recommendations to high level decision makers at the national and state levels. To encourage strategic planning across ministries of transport, health,PWD, industry, urban development, as well as planning & finance departments, the Planning Commission should set targets of road safety improvement and direct the States to achieve those in a time frame.