At a recent Youth 20 (Y20) Consultation hosted by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru (Bangalore), India, one of the sessions I found most interesting was entitled “Youth and Road Safety: A Vital Investment.” The clinicians and researchers on the panel discussed a great number of the factors surrounding road crashes, fatalities, and injuries.

Road safety continues to be a major public health concern and a leading cause of death, injury, and disability globally. In India, the grim reality of road crashes is large, with approximately 80,000 lives lost every year, contributing to a staggering 13% of global fatalities. According to the World Health Organization, at least one out of 10 people killed on roads globally is from India in 2021. The city of Bangalore’s bustling streets witness a dominant 70% presence of two-wheel drivers, and common traffic violations like speeding, driving under the influence, and flouting traffic laws—such as running red lights—underscore the pressing need for comprehensive road safety measures.

Tragically, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highway reported a staggering 412,432 road accidents in India during 2021, claiming the lives of 153,972 individuals, while injuring 384,448 others. Two-thirds of these accidents mostly affected those 18-45 years and lead to moderate or severe minor head injuries in one-third of cases. Truly, though, no ‘minor’ injury is ever trivial. Even a recovered injury can incur persistent symptoms such as wayward mood changes, not being able to go back to work or school, memory problems, execution problems, personality changes, and other disabling conditions. Ultimately, road accidents not only affect the physical well-being of youth but affect the mental psyche as well. The youth hold immense potential as drivers of change, and their participation in advocating for road safety can make a difference.

In the global context, sustainable development goal (SDG) 3.6: good health and well-being, aims to reduce road traffic injuries and deaths by half by 2030. However, for the international community to achieve this aim, there must be less of a discrepancy between the progress made in developing and developed countries. The latter has increased the number of vehicles on its roads but has seen fewer accident victims. We need more data on solutions that have been tested in road safety that are specific to low- and middle-income countries. With specific and sufficient data, the findings can support policy and the design of youth interventions. Collaboration in the forms of technical assistance, knowledge networks, and summative evaluations from implemented policies between countries can contribute to a solution.

My home country, Nigeria, also faces significant challenges with road safety, as the country faces a high burden of road traffic incidents and fatalities which mirror India’s. At a United Nations General Assembly high-level plenary session in June 2022, Magdalene Ajani, Permanent Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Transportation of Nigeria. said that being Africa’s most populous nation coupled with rapid urbanization, means rising vehicular conflict and congestion. Interestingly, Nigeria has a federally funded lead agency in the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), which is meant to enforce a fully funded national road safety strategy and effort, though the court is still out on how effective the agency has been in enforcing the strategy.

To create a safer road environment, a multifaceted approach is needed. Firstly, formal education on road safety should commence at a young age, moving beyond mere awareness to address more specific safety measures. This includes teaching children the identification and meaning of traffic signs, proper helmet-wearing techniques, and how to identify certified helmets. Drawing a parallel to the COVID period, where mask-wearing was crucial but not always done correctly, emphasizing correct safety practices from an early age can help instill lifelong habits. Secondly, enhancing infrastructure design is essential in reducing road risks. Implementing safe speed zones, designated bike lanes, and differentiating local roads from arterial ones are crucial steps to encourage responsible driving behavior. Inadequate infrastructure often leads to drivers taking unsafe shortcuts, such as making dangerous U-turns due to lengthy increments on road layouts.

Embracing technologies like AI cameras for contactless enforcement has proven effective in catching culprits committing major traffic violations. Additionally, linking traffic violation clearance to auto insurance renewals can incentivize responsible driving practices. Personally, I can attest that in the United States, when a painful penalty (or the threat of one) is linked to the incompletion of a task related to driving or a license, people respond – quickly.

These solutions, though all pragmatic, should be implemented in stages. For example, infrastructure solutions may be capital intensive, and educational solutions may require deliberations on curriculum changes that have to pass through the checks and balances of state and local governments. Enforcement is something that may be done quicker and rolled out by the district or city.

What Now?

Youth may wonder, what they can personally do to prevent road traffic incidents. First, be a law-abiding citizen and follow the rules of the road. Next, be aware of the hospitals around where you commute daily. Hospitals are graded according to their preparedness for trauma care (levels 1, 2, 3). If available to you, take CPR courses, or BLS courses.

People sometimes avoid helping in accident situations (choosing instead to video the crash). However, India has The Good Samaritan Law, which allows a person, without expectation of payment or reward and without any duty of care or special relationship, to voluntarily come forward to administer immediate assistance or emergency care to a person injured in an accident, or crash. This regard of bystanders as informants rather than potential criminals is crucial and something people should feel confident in, and that other LMICs can learn from.

The cost of road accidents worldwide is borne not only by the victims and their families but by the economy in terms of untimely deaths, injuries, and loss of potential income. Continuous efforts in recent years have yielded improved mortality and disability outcomes, but there is still work to do. Let us be the change we wish to see. When it comes to road safety - we, the people, are the majority shareholders! Each one of us can play a part on the path to road safety. As we embrace education, design, and enforcement, we're crafting a future where every journey is a safer one. Together, we hold the power to make our roads safer and more secure.