Number of Children Killed in Road Accidents Rising

While the Delhi government has been busy tending to the rising pollution in the city, there's another aspect that has been causing concern. SaveLIFE Foundation, an organization focused on improving road safety, said according to figures revealed under the Right to Information (RTI), the number of children killed in road accidents in Delhi went up from 145 in 2013 to 167 in 2014. Furthermore, the number of children injured rose from 855 to 918 during the same period.
However, it went on to add that the increase in child mortality on roads isn't a concern only in Delhi. While Chhattisgarh reported a 55 percent increase in deaths of children in road accidents with 211 deaths recorded in 2014 as against 136 in 2013, Maharashtra has reported a 23.5 percent increase with 434 children killed in road accidents in 2014 as against 351 in 2013.
Despite the rapidly growing numbers in some states across the country, there are also some states that have reported a drop in the relevant numbers. Tamil Nadu recorded 380 deaths in 2013, and it dropped to 351 in 2014. Uttar Pradesh also reported that the number of children killed in road accidents fell from 825 to 638 in the same period.
The third state to report a drop was Chandigarh - from 8 deaths in 2013, the figure dropped to 5 in 2014.
However 6 states, namely, Punjab, Haryana, Kerala, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, failed to respond to the RTI query.
Piyush Tewari, founder and CEO, SaveLIFE Foundation, said, "As the world celebrates UN Global Road Safety Week, 2015 with the theme 'Save Kids Lives', children on Indian roads continue to face a grim scenario as every day 20 children under the age of 14 are killed in road accidents in India."
He added, "Unless we legislate and enforce strict safety measures to protect them, including child restraint systems, child helmets, adult accountability and child zones, the situation is not expected to improve."
Road Safety Tips to Teach Children:
a. Never go on the streets unaccompanied by an adult
b. Look both ways before crossing
c. Never run into the street
d. Always walk on the footpath
e. Use the zebra-crossing while crossing a road
f. Use designated gardens and areas to play/ cycle