How to reduce Road Accidents: Dr. Shriniwas Kashalikar

Introduction
Apart from many obvious causes; the Major cause of accidents and related problems; is excessive production and marketing of small vehicles of individual use (small cars and two wheelers) and instead of vehicles (buses, trams, trains) of comfortable mass transport. The immediate step to reduce the road accidents is improvement of public (mass) transport by quantitative and qualitative improvement in production, maintenance, frequency and service of buses, trams and trains etc. All the following and such many ideas and their effective implementation are born out of, evolved through and empowered by NAMASMARAN.

Steps
# Understand that excessive increase in number of vehicles on roads (apart from other overemphasized factors) leads to increase in the number of vehicular accidents and causes
1.congestion and unnecessary load on traffic control system.
2.There is commensurate increase in fuel consumption causing chemical pollution and also in import expenses; leading to increase of fuel prices and subsequent increase in the food prices.
3.The wear and tear of roads increases. Consequently there is increase in accidents due bad condition of roads as well as increase in the maintenance expenses and disturbance and delay to smooth traffic.
4. Excessive increase in noise pollution results due to; blowing of horns; which is especially troublesome; to hospitals, schools, and other places; where silence is essential.
5. Traffic jams adding to further increase in fuel consumption and wastage of time, disastrously affecting the performance and/or productivity of the people of different occupations.
6. Increase in vehicular exhaust causing global warming.
7. Excess of load on local trains and other means of public transport [where ever available] and consequent accidents, quarrels and mishaps
8. Overall increase in tardiness in the traffic and increase in anxiety and tension, further increasing the quarrels, traffic crimes the number and severity of accidents and difficulty in providing medical aid (and disaster management) due to difficulty in movement of ambulances and fire fighters.
9. The Eco-friendly bicycles production and sale suffers due to “imposing and threatening” presence of cars, motorcycles, rickshaws, scooters etc.
10. Excessive production of vehicles; is associated with; unproductive and wasteful work; such as insurance, registration and traffic policing!
11. Increase (due to difficulty in enforcing law and order) riots, thefts etc due to slowing of police movement
12. Excessive production of un-degradable solid waste.
13. The need and construction of excessively wide and cement or asphalt roads at the cost of irreplaceable trees (extremely important for avoiding global warming, pollution, rain and organic manure) and open earth surface (extremely important and vital for absorbing and holding rain water) and unnecessary disruption of the natural habitat of the animals.
# Understand that one wrong policy and its implementation can cause and increase several problems in society; apart from road accidents.
# Understand that this is one of the fallouts of mismanaged stress.Stress if not managed properly; leads to defects in regulation, control, coordination, harmony, efficiency inside and outside us. Stress leads to hundreds of psychological, neurological, endocrine and metabolic disturbances, which are reflected in the behavior also. One of the defective aspects of disturbed behavior is accident proneness and defective driving behavior and the other is wrong policy making.
# Understand that many of us; the sufferers; who are so much stressed and are unable manage it; fall victim to the diseased model of progress that promotes multiplication of small vehicles of individual transport. They can’t even identify and understand the defect in the policy responsible for the increase in the number and severity accidents. The stress seems to have made us incapacitated, inactive, indifferent, apathetic, cynical and frustrated; that we refuse to; or are unable to participate rectifying the causes responsible for accidents and their complications. Thus, we indirectly support and promote defective policies and their implementation multiplying accidents.
# Share this understanding with others through social media and other means.
# Understand that the prevalent dominance of individualistic model of progress is detrimental and has to replaced by a concept of individual and global blossoming.
# Understand that this may appear difficult and in fact it is. Hence determined efforts to share this preliminary solution at least in principle is essential. It has to be further buttressed by adding suitable details and/or refinement by the conscientious experts in this field.

Tips
* Many measures are taken to reduce the accidents; but in absence of eradicating the root; the problem will continue to will keep getting aggravated.
* Try to look at the suggestions objectively so that you can appreciate their importance, effectiveness and urgency.
* This observation about the accidents may appear naive; because of our own selfishness.