TrafficInfraTech Magazine Linking People Places & Progress
Rasmeet Singh Kohli
Managing Director
Envoys Electronics Pvt. Ltd
Road Safety products are not fully understood by the users/motorists because these products are not classified as very important and not standardized by the authorities. Besides, there is no strict enforcement through law and penalties for road safety violators and also no proper front display to alert the motorists about regulations made for safety. For example, prominent front display for “U-Turn not allowed” before the point is often missing.
Similarly, the speed limit signs are not prominently displayed like a standardized product such as traffic lights which are ignored by the motorists. Another example is speed control bumpers. Though they are properly established in right locations, there is no clear front information about it and motorists do not understand its importance and the purpose is not fulfilled. Improved awareness through different media and strict enforcement with penalty will enhance the understanding and usage of these safety products.
Both the enforcement authorities and system providers should coordinate from the creation of the strategic safety concept level to implementation level. This will enhance the abilities to produce right safety products, administering them at right locations and implementing them at correctly to get advantage of the systems.
As said earlier, the importance, and advantages of safety systems have not fully understood by the users and hence the benefit of the administered safety system is not fully attained. For example, we have Safety Warning Blinkers with solar power also. Purpose of this product is mainly to install on strategic locations like schools, hospitals crowded market places, merging roads etc., both on highways and on city arterial roads to warn the speeding motorists to go slow as pedestrian and vehicle traffic would be more around this area. Though these warning blinkers are installed in some places, the motorists look these warning blinkers as amber traffic lights and ignore their significance. We can see from the history that many accidents happen due to ignoring these warning signals.
The latest ITS traffic systems are working on one platform with the combined technologies of Telecom, Information Technology and Advanced Electronics that revolutionized the industry. Therefore, challenges in integrating these safety products with other intelligent traffic systems can be met with intelligent solutions.
There is no scarcity for advanced technologies on road safety. If more safety products like speed control display, rapid video surveillance equipment, warning blinkers at strategic locations are made mandatory and implemented with severe enforcement laws, there can be significant changes in the traffic safety system. In developed countries, driving license are issued only after tough exams and tests on traffic rules.
