400 fatalities are recorded each day (150,000 annually ) in traffic accidents in our country and precious lives lost on our roads every hour…
While our vehicle drivers and bad roads are quick to be blamed for the increasing road accidents, people often forget that several pedestrians also add to the mayhem.
“I hardly ever see a pedestrian being asked to stop and wait for the vehicles to stop, nor ever see them penalised for not using the zebra crossings” shares Somesh Chawla, an MBA graduate.
“Almost everyday, one sees pedestrians just walk through the traffic while talking or stroll along casually, expecting vehicle drivers to avoid them and move on!
People have taken the roads and traffic regulations very casually in India. No one follows the basic guidelines as a pedestrian and all they know is that the bigger the vehicle, the more they can penalise them.
I strongly recommend that these jaywalkers are also fined and penalised for disregarding the traffic rules”
“Everyone blames the vehicle driver in any accident that happens on the roads, despite the fact that very often, it is the pedestrians mistake and they have not bothered to look at the signal” says Rajeev Mulik, a biking enthusiast.
“They should be held responsible for their careless behaviour too. The authorities put up huge bill boards on how the pedestrians are like gods and they should be respected, but, what about teaching them instead on how to cross a road!
I agree that there is also a lack of adequate infrastructure like footpaths, foot overbridges, and lack of well marked zebra crossings that is adding to the problem, yet, it is important that our pedestrians also behave in a responsible manner,” adds Mulik.
Riya Sebastian, a social worker says, that an ego conflict between the drivers and the jaywalkers often cause a fatality on the roads. “There are some vehicle drivers who do not respect the pedestrians or cyclists.
This is why pedestrian policies are formulated to safeguard their interest. On the flip side, every 5 out of 10 people in India do not ever realise that traffic signals are not just made for the vehicles. They exist to avoid any conflict between the vehicles and pedestrians, but unfortunately, nothing works well for mutual interest in this country.
The blame game goes on and we keep losing innocent lives on the streets every day,” Riya adds.
“Last week, I indulged in a fight with a 22-year-old, because his carelessness could have cost four lives at the main traffic signal at Shivajinagar,” shares Savita Sahastrabuddhi, a teacher.
“As soon as the signal turned green, vehicles started moving and so did this young pedestrian. He walked right in front of a bike driver who in a quest to save him, lost balance and fell in the middle of the road. The other vehicles were behind him, and a rickshaw with three passengers almost drove over his legs.
It was infuriating to see the lack of common sense in the young man who almost caused a major accident there. On being questioned, he just said that this is the way he always crosses the road; disregarding the signal and just waiting for a gap between vehicles.
This is the unfortunate situation today where people lack basic traffic sense” she quips.
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#All views are those of the individual respondent’s and Pune365 does not necessarily subscribe to them.
Reach her at loveleen@pune365.com or tweet @KaurKaur18
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