Decisive Modi Government Makes Speed Governors Mandatory for Commercial Vehicles From January 31st

KOLKATA, BHUBANESWAR and RAIPUR, India, January 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

In a major push for better road safety in the country, from January 31, all new transport vehicles such as trucks, buses, and mini buses in India will need to install Speed Governors to limit their speed.

Commercial vehicles that travel at high speeds on the highway are a major factor in road accidents and deaths. Over 62% of road accident deaths in India can be attributed to over-speeding. The government had announced its intention to bring down road accidents in the country by half, soon after coming to power in 2014.

UN Decade of Action for Road Safety

As per the World Health Organisation (WHO), road traffic injuries are a leading cause of death among young people between the age of 15 and 29 years globally. Taking into consideration the increasing road accident rates, the UN put forth a 10-Year Action Plan, as an initiative to help countries bring down the number of road accidents. The official goal of the 'Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020' is to stabilize and then reduce global road traffic fatalities around the world by the year 2020.

Road Safety in India

Every 4 minutes, a person is killed on the Indian roads. The increasing road accidents not only take away valuable lives but also inflict a huge economic loss to the country. The Transport and Highway Minister, Nitin Gadkari, believes the economic loss from these accidents is nearly Rs. 4 lakh crore each year, close to 3% of the GDP. Safer roads and lesser accidents will make a good impact for both people and economy.

Despite the Government's will, there was severe opposition to the implementation of road safety measures that would give tangible results. "Ever since I have taken charge of the sector, the biggest regret that keeps haunting me is that despite best of our best intentions, Road Safety Bill is stuck. I feel pained and helpless to see 1.5 lakh Indians, mostly youth, dying on roads," Union Transport Minister, Nitin Gadkari said in early 2016.

The PMs Intervention

The increasing road accident rates in India had caught the attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In his monthly radio programme, Mann Ki Baat, broadcasted on July 26 2016, the PM said, "Whether it is education relating to road safety, road engineering, enforcing the law, or providing emergency care to those injured in an accident, we are going to bring a Road Safety and Transport Bill keeping all these points in mind."

It is this concern of the PM that has finally resulted in the new ruling to make Speed Governors mandatory in commercial vehicles. With this show of will, the Government has proved again that it will stay true to its promises to drive the country into a safer and better future.

A change in Article 118 of the Motor Vehicles Act makes Speed Governor mandatory for all commercial vehicles. This means that the existing vehicles will need to install these speed limit devices to get their fitness certificates from this date onwards, a move aimed at curbing the road accidents on Indian roads.

How Speed Governors Help

Speed Governors will limit commercial vehicles to a maximum speed of 80 kmph. The limit will be 60 kmph for school buses and trucks carrying hazardous material. However ambulances, fire engines, police vehicles, and commercial vehicles with 9 seats or less (including driver) are exempted from this requirement. This move will reduce the number of deaths due to over speeding on the Indian roads.

Speed Governors also improve fuel efficiency, and reduces insurance premiums for heavy vehicles, as insurance rates are calculated on the basis of accident risks of driver.

The implementation of the deadline for Speed Governor installation was postponed multiple times due to claims from certain corners that there is a shortage of these devices in the market.

When asked on the issue, Mr. Mohammed Ashraf, the MD, Speed Governor manufacturer Autograde, said, "There is no shortage for the devices in the Indian market. Speed Governors as a product is in the market for a while now. We have been manufacturing road safety solutions in India and the Middle East for almost a decade. We also export to over 24 countries, in Europe, Africa and Latin America. Dubai, which has one of the best road safety measures in the world, has adopted Speed Governors years ago. It is good to see that India is also moving to world class standards in road safety measures. We welcome the initiative this government is undertaking to ensure the safety of our fellow countrymen."

About Autograde International

Autograde International is part of the HKA Group (Estd.1924), and is a leading manufacturer of road safety solutions in India and the Middle East. The company is committed to providing a safer tomorrow for their customers by investing in, and manufacturing, cutting-edge automotive products. With a customer-focused approach that’s built on a foundation of Quality-first manufacturing processes and continuous innovation, the Autograde International team of talented and driven individuals strives to help move the community forward with safer roads for all.

Media Contact: Ramana Krishnan ramana@autograde.in
+91-9995801904
Head of Sales
Autograde International Pvt Ltd