UNICEF releases national roadmap for child road safety
UNICEF and NIMHANS Release Road Safety Plan for Children in India
A new national roadmap for child and adolescent road safety in India was unveiled by UNICEF in collaboration with the WHO Collaborating Centre for Injury Prevention and Safety at NIMHANS. The report highlights that road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death among children and adolescents, accounting for 10% of all road crash fatalities in India.
Key Findings and Statistics
Gautham Melur Sukumar from NIMHANS stated that nearly 45 children under 18 lose their lives daily in road crashes, with 16,443 fatalities reported in 2022. The actual numbers may be 20% higher due to underreporting. Additionally, around 5 million children suffer non-fatal injuries annually, requiring hospitalization.
Challenges and Recommendations
The report reviews the current situation and provides recommendations for improving road safety. It reveals that between 2011 and 2022, an estimated 198,236 road fatalities occurred among children and adolescents, with 75% in the 14-17 age group. Factors contributing to crashes include human, vehicle, road, and safety mismanagement-related issues.
Gururaj G, Former Director of NIMHANS, emphasized the low use of helmets and Child Restraint Systems (CRS) in India. More than half of the top 25 safety-rated cars had a child-occupant safety rating of 3 stars or less. Socio-economic factors also play a role, with many children walking to school and facing risks at traffic intersections.
Healthcare and Infrastructure Needs
Zoya Ali Rizvi from the Ministry of Health highlighted the need for ICU access for children involved in crashes. Only 20% of large government hospitals have pediatric ICU facilities. Pratima Murthy, Director of NIMHANS, called for state-of-the-art polytrauma centers to handle road crash injuries.
Action Plan and Future Steps
The report outlines a multi-sectoral action plan to improve road safety management, vehicular rules, and post-crash care. Challenges include limited budgets, deficient data systems, and lack of coordination. NIMHANS plans to set up a polytrauma center in Bengaluru to enhance trauma care.
Doubts Revealed
UNICEF
UNICEF is an organization that works to help children all over the world. They make sure kids are healthy, safe, and have access to education.
NIMHANS
NIMHANS stands for the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences. It is a hospital and research center in India that focuses on mental health and brain-related issues.
Road Safety Plan
A Road Safety Plan is a set of ideas and actions to make roads safer for everyone, especially children. It includes rules and suggestions to prevent accidents and injuries.
Road Traffic Injuries
Road Traffic Injuries are injuries that happen when people get hurt in accidents on the road, like when cars crash or people fall off bikes.
Polytrauma Centers
Polytrauma Centers are special hospitals where doctors treat people who have many injuries at the same time, often from serious accidents.
Multi-sectoral Action Plan
A Multi-sectoral Action Plan is a plan that involves different groups and sectors, like health, education, and transport, working together to solve a problem.
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