– if he's using a mobile phone!
According to a report of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, the number of road accidents in the country has more than quadrupled from 114,100 to 484,704 during the period 1970-2008. Road fatalities shot up eight-fold from 14,500 to 119,860, while injuries increased more than seven-fold from 70,100 to 523,193. These figures do not reflect the actual severity as, according to this report, there is under-reporting of road accidents, fatalities and injuries.
This alarming aspect of the road safety problem is not viewed seriously by the authorities and the public in the country. What is most surprising is that even though pedestrians are the most vulnerable road- users, accounting for about 50 per cent of the road fatalities in the country, they move on the road carelessly, risking their lives all the time.
Studies have revealed that 80 per cent of the pedestrians injured or killed are struck whilst crossing the road. The accident risk of pedestrians crossing at places other than controlled pedestrian crossing is over three times that of pedestrians crossing at controlled pedestrian crossing. The risk of crossing the road at night has been found to be 2-3 times that of crossing the road during the day.
All these studies show that pedestrians for their own safety should give their undivided attention while crossing the road and should not rely on the judgement and reaction of the drivers of vehicles. Unfortunately, it is now common to see young and old alike glued to the mobile phone while crossing the road, unmindful of the great danger they are exposed to. They seem to be always in a hurry, they swerve in and out through traffic, and at the same time they stay glued to their mobiles, thus endangering themselves.
Several studies have been conducted to investigate the behaviour of pedestrians using the mobile phone, and some of the findings are as follows:
Mobile phone users while crossing the road are so engrossed in talking or listening to music that they miss salient objects and even obstructions in their environment.
They are so lost in their conversation/music that they are oblivious to sounds around. Thus, the sound of a horn or the sound of a nearing vehicle does not alert the pedestrian.
These phone-users do not understand the fact that attention being paid to what is being heard on their mobile phones reduces situation awareness, increases unsafe behaviour and, above all, puts them in danger.
In the case of mobile phone users, the safe reaction time, which is generally 1.5 seconds, is on a considerably higher side. Thus, the process of perceiving the danger, understanding the situation, decision-making and reacting to the situation to avert accidents takes a much longer time, minimising the possibility of avoiding collision.
Switching off their brain from the surroundings causes danger to themselves and also to others.
Voluntary organisations and the authorities concerned should organise an intensive nationwide campaign to make people refrain from using mobile phones while moving on the road, especially while crossing it. Such a campaign should highlight the vulnerability of pedestrians to road accidents and also the importance of being constantly alert while walking on the road.
According to the rules introduced by the Government of India, mobile phones should not be used while driving. It is suggested that steps should be taken to ban using mobile phone while walking on the road. The authorities concerned should not allow pedestrians to use mobile phone, especially while crossing the road.
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