With greater demand comes greater responsibility by automakers to inculcate safer driving habits among road users. This was the underlying message from Puneet Anand, AVP & Vertical Head, Corporate Affairs, Hyundai Motor India, at ‘Making Mobility Safe, Secure’, the Mobility Outlookevent held in New Delhi on October 31,
Road safety, according to him, was not just a traffic regulation concern but an overarching challenge that “resonates with the core of our societal and economic well-being”. Hence, it was important to create awareness on various aspects of road safety, the social and economic implications of accidents, inculcate safer driving habits and sensitise this generation on being better road-users.
The cost of road accidents is borne not only by the victims and their families but by the economy as a whole in terms of untimely deaths, injuries, disabilities and loss of potential income. India ranks right on top in road fatalities, accounting for 11% share in the world. One of 10 people killed on roads across the world is from India, according to the World Health Organisation.
According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, 2021 saw 412,432 road accidents which claimed 153,972 lives and caused injuries to 384,448 people . The number of accidents in 2021 increased by 12.6% from the preceding year with the worst affected age group being 18-45 years that accounted for 67% of deaths.
The number of deaths and injuries due to road accidents increased by 16.9% and 10.39% respectively. These figures translate, on an average, into 1130 accidents and 422 deaths every day or 47 accidents and 18 deaths every hour. Over-speeding, wrong side driving, drunk & drive and mobile phone usage are the primary contributors to accidents on the road, said Anand.
People’s mindset remained a key factor, a collaborative effort from all stakeholders would ensure safer road travel. While OEMs are continuously working on newer solutions, it was important to ensure that these went hand in hand with affordability.
Hyundai’s Safety Mantra
Keeping in mind that ‘safety should not be the sole privilege of a select few but for everyone inside and outside the car’, Hyundai recently standardised six airbags across its range including every trim level. This is in sync with the Centre’s criteria though not mandatory in Bharat NCAP. However, a four or five star safety rating needs six airbags.
Anand said this initiative by Hyundai would raise safety standards, empower consumers with vital information and make Indian roads safer for all. This system would also empower customers to make well-informed decisions when choosing a vehicle.
During an earlier interaction, Tarun Garg, COO, Hyundai Motor India, said OEMs needed to produce safer vehicles as road infrastructure improved. Beyond the six airbags, the Korean automaker plans to standardise ESP (electronic stability programme) and VSM (vehicle stability management) across models.
It is also working on democratising advanced safety features like ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) and offered this with the Tucson in 2022. At present, five Hyundai models have ADAS, accounting for 38% of the whole portfolio. Going forward, the company intends to extend this to 60% of its portfolio before covering the entire range.
While vehicles are getting safer, Anand said it was also important for people to follow safe road behaviour. With the tagline ‘Safety-begins-with-you’, Hyundai began the # BeTheBetterGuy, as a public awareness initiative in 2016.
The road safety campaign was created to generate two-way communication by using a number of communication platforms for maximum impact, with the goal of sharing emotional and impactful messaging with Young India and inspiring them to build a 'Chain-of-Change.'
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