Road Safety Month 2021 Concludes with These Activities

Road Safety Month 2021 Concludes with These Activities!

By: Soudamini Mujumdar

Till 2020, the government campaign to prioritized Road Safety was only limited to a week. However, looking at the increasing road accident fatalities in India, which has eventually made Indian roads the most unsafe roads in the world, the event was extended from a week to a month from this year.

The National Road Safety Month 2021 was marked in India this year from 18th January 2021 to 17th February 2021. The theme of this year’s Road Safety Month was, “Sadak Suraksha- Jeevan Raksha”. The most important aim of the month-long activity was to encourage governments to make roads safer for all and to take conscious decisions and steps to reduce accidents by generating awareness.

A host of activities by various governments, stakeholders, public and private institutions as well as the common public were taken to raise awareness about road accidents, road safety, and best road practices for all. The entire month saw a plethora of activities that raised awareness about Road Safety. Here are some of the top activities by governments and groups across the country as a part of Road Safety Month!

1. Contests and Competitions
   The MORTH conducted a host of competitions and activities across the country for students and other interested persons with varying cash prized. Road Safety quiz competition, poster-making competition, article writing competition, slogan writing competition, ideation, hackathon, etc. are some of the competitions and activities held by the MORTH as a part of the Road Safety Month 2021.
   
   
2. Road Safety Awards
   As a part of the Road Safety Month, the good work being carried out by various road safety stakeholders in their respective fields was also awarded by the Central Government. The major awards given out during this year’s Road Safety Month were best performing State in Road Safety works, Good Samaritan award, Best State Transport Corporations, Best Work in Safer Highway Development, Outstanding Field Officers, and best work by NGOs in Road Safety. Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari also extended gratitude and wishes to all stakeholders, organizations, who did not receive awards but acknowledged their hard work with Government in the Road safety mission.
   
   
3. IRF’s Webinars on Road Safety Challenges
   During the Road Safety Month, International Road Federation (IRF) – India chapter launched its 12-part Webinar Series entitled “Road Safety Challenges in India and Preparation of an Action Plan” on 9^th February. The first inaugural webinar of the series was addressed by Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on 9th February 2021 where he spoke about the burning issue of Road Safety in India and the steps being taken by the government in controlling deaths on roads due to Road Accident by working in all four Es of road safety- Education, Engineering, Enforcement, and Emergency Care Services.
   
   
4. Symposium on Safer Roads and Rectification of Blackspots 
   Another symposium was organized by MORTH in the first week of Road Safety Month in Delhi which was titled “Safer Roads/Black spots and discussion on Plan for Rectification of Black Spots during Next One Year”. Road Safety Engineering by implementing design changes was discussed in this symposium held on February 3rd and 4th.
   
   
5. Jammu and Kashmir’s Road Safety Camps and Activities
   From cartoon exhibitions to bike rallies and first aid awareness camps, Jammu and Kashmir celebrated the 32nd Road Safety Month in an interesting manner. The international cartoon exhibition was organized for three days with the participation of 150 cartoonists from 39 countries. All the cartoons spread the message of road safety. A bike rally was also conducted from Jammu to Katra on 20th January in which female bikers took to roads to spread awareness about Road Safety and wearing helmets. A health check up-cum-awareness program was held in Shopian as a part of the Road Safety Month celebrations, apart from several other camps and activities in different parts of the state.
   
   
6. Delhi’s efforts to generate Road Safety Awareness 
   In India’s capital city and adjoining Gurugram, the Road Safety month was celebrated with much hullabaloo as the Delhi Police along with partner NGOs conducted a host of activities across the city during the month such as distributing helmets to two-wheeler riders, virtual sessions for awareness of school children and even a flash mob in Gurugram to spread the message of road safety. Apart from this, zero tolerance to red light jumping, not following sped limits, etc was also observed at some spots during the month as well as having volunteers hold placards at major spots spreading the message of road safety.
   
   
7. Mumbai’s Walkathons, Campaigns and Seminars 
   On bikes, on foot, through roses and through Yamraj – Mumbaikars spread the message of Road Safety during the Road Safety Month this year by hosting a wide range of activities with the help of many NGOs and corporate partners. A bike rally was organized by the CSR wing of Nanavati Hospital to spread the message of safe road practices. Apart from this, workshops and educative skits by Mumbai Traffic police were also conducted at Juhu Chowpatty and at major junctions to raise awareness among people about road safety rules. Citizens of Mahim area in Mumbai conducted a no honking drive whereas a man dressed a Yamraj also took part in a bike rally and made citizens aware about road safety. A group of volunteers gave roses to traffic rule violators on streets and at Vasai-Virar road, students took to streets to spread the message of safe road practices.
   
   
8. Strict Clampdown on violators in Bengaluru
   While other cities spread the message of road safety with bouquets, Bengaluru Traffic Police celebrated Road Safety Month with brickbats for traffic violators. Throughout the Road Safety Month, days were divided focusing on specific traffic violations such as riding without helmets, using mobile phones, jumping traffic signals, not wearing seat belts, reckless driving, not following lane discipline etc. The traffic department made a list of 15 such offences, to be targeted two days each.

These are some of the top ways in which the Road Safety Month 2021 was celebrated in different cities and states across India. How was the event celebrated in your city? Let us know in the comments section.