‘No helmet, no fuel’ policy targets road fatalities
NEW DELHI — With 400 deaths per day, or one every four minutes, India has one of the worst road safety records in the world.
To combat the problem, which has been labeled a public health emergency, the central and state governments have often chalked out different plans and launched programs to raise awareness and curb accident numbers.
The latest is the “no helmet, no petrol” policy, launched in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
According to provisional state police data, Uttar Pradesh records the most road deaths every year in India (17,666), followed by the southern state of Tamil Nadu (15,642), Maharashtra in the west at 13,212, Karnataka in the south at 10,856 and the western state of Rajasthan 10,510.
Most of the accidents in Uttar Pradesh are recorded by two-wheelers and involve riders between the ages of 15 and 34.
Security measures
The government said it has brought in the policy to discipline younger riders but also hopes to educate them by asking gas station owners to counsel riders on road safety.
It has also promised to provide owners with adequate security measures to prevent any law and order challenges that the move might pose for them.
While the “no helmet, no petrol” policy may sound like an innovative move, it is actually an old campaign that has failed in other states.
The plan was previously introduced in the states of West Bengal, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh in central India but was dropped after complaints and outbreaks of violence.
“The government keeps introducing these initiatives without real preparation. It is easy to take petrol even when not wearing a helmet. I borrowed it from someone who had just filled fuel and bought petrol. So I am not very positive about the move,” a twowheeler driver said.
R. Chaudhury, a member of the Lucknow Petrol Pump Owners’ Association, said: “Denying fuel isn’t going to discipline motorists. In a state like Uttar Pradesh, we risk our lives by denying fuel to customers. But nonetheless, we will support the government in the initiative and also put up banners and posters to raise awareness.”
In 2016, transportation-related deaths touched 150,000 across the country, with about half a million people are injured. But it is believed that the actual figures are far higher because only a limited number get reported.
There are calls to implement the “no helmet, no petrol” policy nationwide, but some believe stronger action is required.
“While the campaign puts the onus on petrol pump owners, what is needed are joint efforts from the state, police and the civil society alike,” said a gas station owner in Delhi.
“Productive measures like enforcement of zero tolerance and strong policing will only lead the way for making roads less vulnerable for the users, especially youngsters.”