It is extremely pertinent to have an in depth “Accident
Data” which can be analysed, to understand major factors/causes and find
solutions, to stop this increasing trend of road accidents and fatalities.
Accident research can help understand the need for the better implementation of
infrastructure, education and awareness and vehicle safety systems.
This was explained by Vijay Ratnaparkhe, President and
Managing Director, RBEI, who took journalists through “The Latest Findings of
the Robert Bosch Accident Research Project” in a webinar organised recently.
India accounts for 10 pc of the global road crash fatalities
as we are yet to adopt a system of scientific investigation and analysis of
road crashes, explained the Bosch official. Therefore traffic safety became
very important in India. In order to understand the root causes of accidents
data is needed in more detail which could be analysed and points out the major
issues to look at. Besides vehicle safety, Infrastructure related issues and
education skills can be derived out of accident data.
Official statistics
regarding accidents in India are not available. More detailed information about
accident causes, accident conditions and consequences are roughly obtained.
There is a lack of engineering data in the available reports. To address
traffic safety related issues like infrastructure, driving behaviour and
benefit of vehicle safety systems more detailed accident data is needed.
The Bosch Accident research team started to expand their
accident research activity to India in 2009/2010 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The
main focus of the pilot study covered topics on infrastructure, traffic safety
awareness and vehicle safety. The results of the study led to the establishment
of RASSI accident database (Road accident sampling System for India) with
powerful partners in international consortium which includes similar details
according to GIDAS (German In-depth Accident Study) and US Databases NASS-GES
(National Automotive Sampling System-General Estimation System and CDS
(Crashworthiness Data System).
The focus, as pointed out by Ratnaparkhe, is currently on 4 national
highways near Coimbatore Tamilnadu and Mumbai Pune Expressway in Maharashtra,
collecting all kinds of traffic accidents with casualties. As of now, 800
accidents with 1000 variables are included in the database. Besides accident
data collection, information about severity and reconstruction are also
objectives of this study.
As supported by Bosch and several OEMs, RASSI Consortium was
established in 2011 which includes Bosch, Daimler, Nissan, Renault, Hyundai and
JP Research as data collection partner (as of January 2014). The RASSI
investigators attend the crash scene and collects data using latest accident
investigation techniques involving accident scene examination, accident vehicle
examination, vehicle interior inspection and later injury coding and
correlation. Accident reconstructions based on a scaled sketch, which assess
e.g. the impact speed, are later carried out based on scene information including
collision point, pedestrian and vehicle end-positions, and brake and skid
marks. Approximately 1000 different variables are collected for each accident
and recorded and stored in digital format. The outcome of accident research
activities are effectively used in identification of key issues for traffic
safety in India. These include Safety legislation in India, NCAP (Crash test)
technical specifications, Benefit estimation of Key safety products in India, Key
suggestions to engineering team on product design and development, Design of
India specific safety products, ? Key suggestions to Ministry of surface and
road transportation in terms of formulation of safety strategies towards safety,
etc.
INCREASING ROAD
ACCIDENTS: The tremendous increase in the number of vehicles on Indian
roads has also unfortunately lead to the increase number of road accidents. India
also has the dubious distinction of the highest road fatalities globally. An
alarming 142,000 lives are lost on road each year and an accident takes place
every minute.
In the year of 2013 in India the total number of accidents
with injuries is registered by Ministry of Road Transport and Highway with 486
476 out of which injured people are 494 893 and fatalities are 137 572. Around 29pc
of fatalities are users of two wheelers which constitute the highest & 17%
of the fatalities are occupants of passenger cars which constitute the second
highest contributor for fatal accidents in India