Showing posts with label World Health Organisation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label World Health Organisation. Show all posts

Sunday 22 January 2017

Lack of uniform data for road deaths foiling both research and remedy

NEW DELHI: The data relating to road crashes in 2015 released by two different central agencies have once again exposed the lack of uniformity. Though the sources for both the reports are state police, the transport ministry claims 1.46 lakh people died in road crashes in 2015 while the home ministry estimates it be more than 1.48 lakh.

There are similar differences in the total number of crashes and persons injured during 2015. The transport research wing (TRW) of transport ministry had released the road accidents report early last year and the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) of home ministry made its report public recently.

Comparison of the data from past reports also show similar differences. Sources said several rounds of discussions had been held involving officials from both the departments to have uniform details, but it has not helped so far. Raising serious question on the quality of data, the last report of World Health Organisation had estimated over 2.07 lakh people dying in road crashes way back in 2013.

"Road accident data in our country are unreliable and are not good for any research or remedy. What is the use of data that can't be used for remedial action? We don't include hospital data while preparing these reports despite knowing well that most of the injured persons in road crashes are taken to hospitals," said road safety expert Rohit Baluja.

Piyush Tewari of Savelife Foundation said discrepancies in data highlight the need for a uniform data collection and scientific road crash investigation mechanisms in India. "Countries that have been successful in curbing road fatalities and crashes give high priority to data collection. Besides numbers, such reports must also indicate the exact causes of crashes so that appropriate measures can be initiated," said K K Kapila of International Road Federation.


Source:-TOI