SAFE holds annual convention at Bangalore
Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) held an initiative called Society for Automotive Fitness and Environment (SAFE) at Bangalore in association with Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Transport Department, All India Federation of Motor Vehicle Department and Government of Karnataka. This year's event focused on sharing the best practices put in use by the government and private organizations in aspects pertaining to road safety.
The event was held in three sessions which focused on the various parts of road safety
The event was held in three sessions which focused on the various parts of road safety and outlined the different policies and practices, technological advancements made in this field and how they could be implemented for making the roads safer.
The convention was held in light of the rising road fatalities and traffic collisions which are amongst the highest in the world. A report by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) says that more than 1,35,000 deaths occur each year in India and another finding by International Road Federation (IRF) in 2012 says that there is a monetary loss of 20 billion dollars which is encountered annually due to traffic collisions. This loss figure is inclusive of expenses incurred in property damage, administration expense and expense related to the treatment of the victim.
S.V.Suderson, president, SAFE addressing the gathering
Speaking at the convention, S.V. Suderson, president, SAFE said, ''The issue of road safety is very crucial in India. Loss of life is not only huge in terms of numbers, but majority of people affected are from the younger age brackets. We have a long way to go before our roads become safe for all users. Understanding the complex problems is the first step. Physical and mental health of motorists, their vehicle condition and pedestrians' behaviour are some of the key factors. We need to address each of these stakeholders to raise the overall standard of road safety"
A charged drive towards road safety At the Annual convention of Society for Automotive Fitness & Environment
| 9th May, Mumbai: Society for Automotive Fitness & Environment (SAFE), a SIAM initiative in association with Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Transport Department, Government of Karnataka & All India Federation of Motor Vehicle Department organised its annual convention today in Bangalore. This year's theme set the thrust on ''Road Safety: Bringing Policy & Practice Together'' to share the best practices adopted by government and private organisation in the area of vehicular safety, technology innovations, enforcement for enhancing road safety. The convention aimed at addressing rising concerns of road fatalities, with traffic collisions on Indian roads numbered amongst the highest in the world. According to a National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report, more than 1,35,000 traffic collision-related deaths occur in India every year. The International Road Federation (IRF) in 2012 estimated that traffic collision results in an annual monetary loss of billion (short scale) in India. This figure includes expenses associated with the accident victim, property damage and administration expenses. The inaugural session was addressed by Mr. Vikram S Kiroloskar, President, SIAM along with Mr. P. N Sreenivasachary, Principal Secretary, Transport, Government of Karnataka, Mr. Amaranarayana K, Transport Commissioner, Government of Karnataka; Mr. S V Suderson, President, SAFE and Dr Venkat Srinivas, Vice President, SAFE Speaking at the convention, Mr. S.V. Suderson, President, SAFE said, ''The issue of road safety is very crucial in India. Loss of life is not only huge in terms of numbers, but majority of people affected are from the younger age brackets. We have a long way to go before our roads become safe for all users." "Understanding the complex problems is the first step. Physical and mental health of motorists, their vehicle condition and pedestrians' behaviour are some of the key factors. We need to address each of these stakeholders to raise the overall standard of road safety" he added Mr. Vikram Kirloskar expressed his happiness about the efforts put in by SAFE over the last one year, saying "Community education is crucial to improve the road safety. SAFE has worked along with government authorities and regulators to raise awareness through an innovative and collaborative approach and have conducted several activities to take the mission forward. I wish them all the best for their future endeavours'' The convention went on to hold three focussed sessions which threw light on various aspects related to road safety. The first session discussed best practices and policies to enhance road safety having presentations from the Transport and Traffic Police Department, Government of Karnataka presented a case for better policies and practices in the area of road safety followed by presentation on Adoption of safety practices by Indian Automotive sector by Volvo. The session concluded with an overview on safety policies concerned to Transport Department by All India Federation of Motor Vehicle Department. The second session focused on International and National Learning's on Vehicular Safety and Technology innovations. This comprised of insightful contributions by International Motorcycle Manufacturer Association that gave an overview of global approaches for safer Motorcycling, followed by a presentation on global practices for reduction of road fatalities by Honda Motor Co. Ltd, Japan. The session closed with addresses on new safety technologies and innovations in Indian automobiles sector by Nissan and Bosch respectively The final session comprised of a panel discussion moderated by Mr. Vishnu Mathur, Director General, SIAM with representatives from the Transport Department of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Institute of Driving & Traffic Research and KPIT Cummins. The panelists shared their thought on implementation of policy and practices in the area. | |
