People lack respect and fear of law: Gadkari in LS on road accidents

New Delhi, Dec 5 (PTI) Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said that despite the government's continuous efforts to reduce deaths in road accidents, the casualties have been on the rise as people neither have respect nor fear of the law.

Responding during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Gadkari said he himself has been a victim of a road accident and is sensitive about the issue.

The minister said there are four factors which can help reduce road accidents--road engineering, automobile engineering, enforcement of law and education of people.

"Biggest problem of the society is neither they have respect for the law, nor they have fear of law. There are problems like people don't stop on red signal, don't wear helmets..30,000 people die only because they aren't wearing helmets. I have been a victim myself, my leg has been broken at four places in an accident when I was Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra and I am continuously sensitive about it.

"I have no hesitation in accepting this but distressed that despite trying hard there have been 1.68 lakh road accident deaths this year. A large number of these deaths are because there has not been strict implementation of rule of roads...without cooperation from public representatives, media or society, this is not possible. We have increased fines too but people don't follow rules," he said.

Gadkari said a car jumped the traffic signal in front of him on Wednesday.

The minister urged the Speaker to keep a separate discussion on this issue and asserted that the government is committed to improving the situation.

"The problem also is that there are some black spots and government has already decided to spend 40,000 crores on blackspots..as per mistakes identified in detailed project report, blackspots are there, and we are very much committed for that," he said. PTI