The Centre is getting serious about road safety in a big way. According to TR Baalu, minister of shipping, road transport and highways Sundar Committee?s proposal for earmarking of minimum 1% of total proceeds of cess on diesel and petrol for road safety fund is at advanced stage of approval. And also is the Committee?s proposal for creation of an apex body, the National Road Safety & Traffic management Board at national level,? he said while speaking at the 18 th meeting of the consultative committee of members of parliament.

Thiru Baalu said that the committee to look into the matter of promotion of road safety in educational institutions through road safety clubs has given its report and a scheme costing Rs120 crore during the 11th Plan period has been formulated and sent to the planning commission for their approval.

?We were part of the Sundar Committee when the proposal for a road safety fund was made. Hence we support the proposals as long as funds are being put to proper use,? says the spokesperson of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, the apex body of automobile manufacturers in India .

Talking about the revised Bill for the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, he said that the penalties for various traffic offences are proposed to be enhanced substantially to make it more deterrent. This would include immediate suspension of the driving license of a drunken driver for a period up to three months and a proposal to introduce civil liabilities of a driver by providing penalty up to Rs 5,000 if one drives motor vehicle in a rash or negligent manner, causing injury to a person or damage to property.

The minister said that the amount of compensation is being increased and it has also been provided that interim compensation to the tune of Rs1,00,000 in the case of death or permanent total disablement and Rs 50,000 in the case of permanent partial disablement shall be paid within three months from the date of filing the application in the Motor Accident Claim Tribunal (MACT) or civil court.

During 2006, there were around 4.6 lakh road accidents which killed 1,05,749 people and injured close to 5 lakh persons in India .

This translates into one road accident every minute and one road accident death every five minutes for India . At the prices of year 2000, it amounted to 3% of GDP, which in financial terms comes to Rs 55,000 crore per year, he said.