The Asian Tribune
editor@asiantribune.net
Every day nearly 45 children under 18 years age lose their lives in road crashes in India.
In 2022, 16,443 fatalities were reported in this age group, with actual numbers likely 20 percent higher due to underreporting. Additionally, every year around 5 million children get injured and suffer non-fatal injuries that require hospitalization.
This was revealed in a report on child and adolescent road safety.
The findings reveal that between 2011 and 2022, around 1.98 lakh or 1,98,000 road fatalities occurred among children and adolescents, and nearly 75 percent of those road fatalities occurred in the 14–17 years age group. Furthermore, the number of fatalities of this group more than doubled between 2011 and 2022.
Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death of children and adolescents, who account for10 percent of all road crash fatalities in the country.
“Children are vulnerable to severe injuries. “The reasons for rise in crashes and fatalities among children and adolescent are beyond just unsafe roads,” said Dr Gururaj G, while speaking at a conclave on this issue.
“Risk factors include human, vehicle, road related issues, road safety, traffic mismanagement and some other factors.
Even though children and adolescents are expected to wear helmets at all two-wheeler travel times, correct helmet use among children and adolescents was only 10–50 percent in urban areas & just 2–5 percent in rural regions”.
The figures are shocking to say the least. UNICEF, NIMHANS have come together, with a view to sensitize citizens and ensure better treatment facilities. In India, one of the major causes of deaths apart from ailments, is road mishap.
Though it is known, still, there is lack of adequate focus on the issue. As a result, the numbers are seen and talked about, locally, at city level or district level. That too doesn’t happen timely as reports that include statistics, generally get released, for a year, are released by end of next year or even later.
Children, adolescents dying in crashes on roads, bad driving skills, lack of proper training and poor quality of helmets, are also causing accidental deaths. Factors like potholes on roads, lack of proper traffic management, are also causing fatal mishaps in India.
