Uniting the joy of riding with the joy of safety: Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt. Ltd.’s Road Safety Awareness Drive has an important message to tell

Despite its booming economy and cross-sectoral development, India remains one of the worst-ranked countries in the world in terms of road accidents and fatalities. As per a report by World Bank, India accounts for 11 per cent of the global deaths in road accidents, the highest in the world. The report also makes a staggering revelation that the country sees about 4.5 lakh road crashes per annum, in which 1.5 lakh people die. The statistics get even graver on the two-wheeler front where it is estimated that in the year 2019, 6 two-wheeler riders died every hour in India on average, making motorists 37% of the total figure killed in road accidents that year*. This is a clear indication that road safety in India is in dire need of more attention and action. While on the policy level, the setting up of the National Road Safety Board can go a long way in putting a check on road accidents, the situation currently demands individual action from road users. Considering most road accident cases are linked to human error, encouraging road users to follow traffic rules, use of ISI marked helmets and other safety protocols is certainly the way ahead to improve road safety.

To drive home this conversation, Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt Ltd, has been work-horsing to improve road safety in the country. And it joined hands with Times CSR to flag off the Joy of Safety campaign which hosted the Road Safety Awareness Drive in Delhi NCR earlier this year. Based on this drive, Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt. Ltd. also went through the data of fatal road accidents collated from authentic sources and introduced Suzuki 2.0. The research revealed that Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Agra, Chennai, Lucknow, Kanpur and Patna see the most number of road accidents across the country and the brand decided to extend this road safety campaign to these 9 cities. Through this campaign, Suzuki Motorcycles India Pvt. Ltd. aims to educate, raise awareness, and bring about a change in mindset to take road safety precautions seriously.

The Road Safety Awareness Drive that is being held across these nine cities is uniting the joy of riding with the joy of safety by identifying, gratifying and encouraging those who follow traffic rules and thus contribute to road safety. The activity has already been flagged off in Chandigarh, Hyderabad, and Jaipur, while the flag offs at Patna, Chennai, Jalandhar, Lucknow, Kanpur and Agra are yet to be announced. As a part of the event, each city has 5 activities planned for 3 days each of which sums up to 15 days of activity in each city. The event also features a gratification event that rewards the motorists who adhere to all traffic rules and safety protocols like the use of helmets and other protective gear. The initiative aims to cover 6000+ two-wheeler riders and reward them for their efforts towards safe driving for themselves and others on the road. Additionally, the Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt. Ltd Road Safety aims to cover 10000 two-wheeler riders and apprize them through Teach India Sessions on Road Safety.

The Joy of Safety campaign calls out the need for sustained action to disseminate information, create awareness and encourage road users in India to follow all safety protocols. Road fatalities result in the loss of livelihood and emotional trauma for the family and friends of the deceased, and it is only through campaigns like this that we can bring about a change in people’s mindset to take road safety precautions seriously. To amplify the awareness, the campaign aims to work on two levels. Firstly, it plans to advocate and support various statutory/non-statutory bodies for strict enforcement of the latest guidelines such as the sale and purchase of ISI marked helmets, spreading awareness about road safety norms, and other interventions that need attention. Secondly, it plans to work with road users and encourage them to use quality helmets, avoid over-speeding and mobile use while riding, riding bikes responsibly, encouraging the use of side mirrors and other safety precautions. By engaging both enforcement agencies and the general public, Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt. Ltd. plans to make Indians get a good grip on road safety.

As per a Ministry of Road Transport and Highways report published in October 2020, 42% risk of fatal injuries on motorbikes in 2019 could have been avoided by the simple use of correct helmets. This makes it extremely pertinent for motorists to ensure that they are purchasing the right BIS-certified helmets with the right ISI mark in order to stay safe. It is also important for them to not race or over-speed, not ride in an inebriated state, not have more than one pillion, and not ride without valid ID proof. Keeping track of the bike’s health and adhering to all traffic signages ensures further safety.

The Joy of Safety Campaign by Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt Ltd in association with Times CSR reiterates how road safety is a critical development priority for India that impacts the health and wellbeing of its citizens and also the economic growth. Therefore, it is crucial for citizens to work together with regulatory bodies to realize the vision of safer roads where every stakeholder using the road feels secure and protected. This campaign makes the cause for road safety extremely relevant at a time when our roads are once again packed with vehicles after a long hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

To know more about the Joy of Riding campaign, click here.

*As per a Ministry of Road Transport and Highways report published in October, 2020.