| As the population of our country dramatically | | | | in India today. Driving at night along |
| increases and the number of vehicles on the | | | | highways that are poorly lit and which has a |
| nation's roads and highways skyrockets, new | | | | regular stream of traffic without any speed |
| methods of traffic control and organization | | | | limits, causes severe damage to both life and |
| have become necessary, by utilising new | | | | property. Despite this, the government has |
| methods of transportation or by revising the | | | | failed to increase the number of roads and |
| current system. However, traveling in India | | | | highways proportional to the extraordinary |
| is almost an hallucinatory mixture of sound | | | | increase of vehicles on the road. Hazards to |
| and sight. It might sound hilarious, but when | | | | the environment also prove the necessity for |
| you are on the road, its extremely dangerous. | | | | more worthwhile methods of traffic |
| Most Indian road users observe an ancient | | | | administration. As many more vehicles make |
| road code, which accounts for majority of | | | | use of our metropolitan city roads, the |
| road accidents which often prove fatal.In the | | | | amount of poisonous hydrocarbons released |
| last 5 years, the number of vehicles on our | | | | into the atmosphere steadily increases. On |
| roads has increased manifold and to add to | | | | the average, one out of every four Indians |
| this we have to give way to cows, elephants, | | | | has problems breathing during the peak summer |
| buffalos, ox-carts, pigs, auto-rickshaws, | | | | months due to the excess of smog in the |
| pedal rickshaws, goats, bicycles, handcarts, | | | | atmosphere. Studies have shown that |
| dogs not forgetting the casual pedestrian | | | | automobiles produce the majority of this |
| too. Cars and other vehicles cause an | | | | smog. Even though emission standards have |
| enormous expense to our society and these | | | | become more rigid and the use of Compressed |
| expenses are mainly due to traffic accidents, | | | | Natural Gas (CNG) has been introduced, no |
| traffic jams, and the environmental hazards | | | | significant change has been observed in the |
| created by the large number of vehicles on | | | | reduction of environment pollution.Further, |
| our roads. Traffic accidents account for one | | | | noise pollution from the large number of |
| of the major reasons that the current | | | | automobiles on the roads also contributes to |
| techniques of traffic control need | | | | the devastation of the environment. Despite |
| revision.Then there is the Accident risk, | | | | the many problems that exist with the present |
| which means - the chance of injury to | | | | systems of transportation and traffic |
| yourself or others and the chance of damage | | | | control, numerous solutions exist that |
| to vehicles and property. Therefore, | | | | provide both efficiency and effectiveness. |
| following the basic signs, signals and rules | | | | These include formulating new methods of |
| of driving can avoid this risk. One huge risk | | | | transportation, developing better traffic |
| though, is to be under the influence of an | | | | signaling and controlling equipment, and |
| illegal substance or drug while driving and | | | | utilising better techniques of highway design |
| nothing has been done so far to stem this | | | | and construction.Designing new types of |
| problem. The most important safety tip to | | | | transit provides one of the most obvious and |
| reduce pedestrian injuries and fatalities is | | | | efficient approaches of improving traffic |
| to pay attention. The chances of being in a | | | | management. In today's society, mass rail |
| collision with a motor vehicle can | | | | transit exists as one of the most efficient |
| significantly be reduced by obeying traffic | | | | and quickly developing techniques of |
| rules and being aware of the dangers posed by | | | | enhancing the current transportation system. |
| vehicles in your vicinity. Both drivers and | | | | Many moderate to large sized cities currently |
| pedestrians have certain safety | | | | offer some kind of rail transit, whether it |
| responsibilities that depend both on | | | | be a subway or elevated system, and most of |
| circumstances and common sense.Apart from | | | | them are well-used. This could possibly be |
| this, traffic jams, along with broken cars | | | | the answer to solving our traffic problems |
| and the lack of alternate routes, account for | | | | too.On the other side of the spectrum, |
| one half of the traffic congestion. Although | | | | however, many new and exciting forms of |
| the number of traffic accidents has slowly | | | | technologically advanced rail transit are |
| decreased over the past several years due to | | | | currently in development. A MAGLEV train, or |
| various projects that have been instituted, | | | | Magnetic levitation train, has recently been |
| like flyovers and the ongoing Delhi Metro | | | | introduced into the transportation world. |
| Project(i.e., with reference to the traffic | | | | Driven by powerful electromagnets, this train |
| control in Delhi),the number is still | | | | levitates several inches above the track. |
| alarmingly high. Majority of deaths occur due | | | | This reduction in friction allows the train |
| to traffic accidents alone. In addition, | | | | to reach speeds upto 300 miles per hour. The |
| traffic jams also demonstrate the need for | | | | introduction of this train in India would |
| better methods of traffic management. Due to | | | | solve our traffic problems considerably. |
| both the increase of women in the work force | | | | However, this does not seem possible in the |
| and the expansion of businesses to the | | | | near future. |
| suburbs, traffic jams have increased | | | | |
| dramatically over the past few years. As a | | | | In addition to rail transportation, buses |
| consequence of these traffic jams, the | | | | represent not necessarily a new |
| population gets delayed in reaching their | | | | transportation method, but certainly one that |
| work spots which creates further worry and | | | | can be taken advantage of and utilized to its |
| confusion. Another negative factor is that, | | | | fullest potential. One of the major |
| drivers, while waiting in their cars during | | | | advantages that buses have over rail transit |
| traffic jams, waste gallons of gasoline, | | | | is that buses can take their passengers |
| which contributes to further environmental | | | | wherever they want to go, and routes can |
| hazards.Road crashes are another major and | | | | easily be Changed.At present, despite |
| growing cause of death and injury mainly to | | | | adopting new methods of transit, there is no |
| children. Twice as many pedestrians are | | | | particular lane discipline, since traffic |
| killed in road crashes in industrializing | | | | entering a road from the left has priority, |
| countries than in industrialized countries. | | | | so has traffic from the right, and also |
| School children are the victims of a high | | | | traffic from the middle and therefore, Indian |
| proportion of these crashes. It is therefore | | | | traffic at all times and irrespective of |
| important that children receive road safety | | | | direction of travel occupy the centre of the |
| education as part of their curriculum. | | | | road. Modifying the current techniques of |
| Younger children are not aware of the concept | | | | traffic control may exist as another solution |
| of danger and must learn to realize the | | | | to the unruly traffic problem, and another |
| dangers inherent in the road environment. | | | | way to improve the current methods of transit |
| Education should, therefore, be based on | | | | is by optimizing better traffic signaling and |
| practical training in a realistic road | | | | controlling equipment. |
| environment such as training in crossing | | | | |
| streets, crossing parked vehicles and | | | | Using better techniques of road development |
| crossing at intersections. Parental | | | | and construction also accounts for part of |
| involvement is invaluable to model and | | | | the effort to modify current traffic control |
| reinforce road safety behaviour.Highways | | | | methods. |
| themselves cause a large number of accidents | | | | |