Know of ways to make Delhi roads safer? Have your say

NEW DELHI: The transport department is planning to start a road safety campaign that will involve local resident welfare associations, market stakeholders, school children and society representatives.
As part of the campaign, the district magistrates will form plans to address the increasing number of accidents in consensus with the locals.
The decision was taken after it was found during a government study that road sections passing through pedestrian-heavy areas having schools, metro stations and commercial sites were more prone to accidents.
Special Commissioner (Transport) Shehzad Alam said that the idea is to create a decentralised approach with the start of the road safety week on May 15. "We have decided to involve district-level functionaries, RWAs, market associations and school children in the road safety campaign. Since they are the ones who see and face the problems on the ground, their inputs will help us solve the hyperlocal problems that result in road accidents."
Children will also be given lessons on safe driving habits, he added.
A senior official said that funds worth crores, which were meant for ensuring road safety, were not being utilised. "The focus of the campaign will be to identify and rectify black spots, revisit speed limits, form road safety clubs, install AI cameras at strategic locations, encourage helmet use, check speed in high-risk locations and regulate overloaded commercial vehicles," the official explained.
Another major focus of the campaign will be on correct helmet use as the study revealed that almost one-third two-wheeler riders do not wear the helmet correctly. In the case of pillion riders, the percentage is even higher. "During the road safety week, we will tell people that improper helmet use can be a risky affair. Later, we will take action against those flouting the helmet norms," the official said.
The number of deaths due to road accidents in Delhi totalled 1,239 in 2021, an increase from 1,196 fatalities in the previous year, according to Delhi Crash Report 2021, which was prepared by the city's traffic police. Pedestrian deaths comprised more than 40% of the total fatalities.