IIT Madras research advocates increased govt investment in road safety

A study undertaken by Centre of Excellence for Road Safety evaluates the cost to the government from road crashes to help policymakers plan for interventions based on cost to the economy.

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras have called for increased investment by the government in road safety to reduce the impact of accidents on the economy. 

Study can help govt identify implicit costs of accidents: TN Health Minister

Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian released a report in the presence of IIT Madras Director Prof V Kamakoti. He said, “The hidden truth in all accidents is the costs involved and the study by the Centre of Excellence for road safety in IIT Madras can sensitise the government and public on these costs. The government can use this study in identifying the implicit costs of an accident, use it towards improved financial planning and appropriately invest on initiatives to strengthen road safety in the state.”  

Titled ‘Socio-Economic Costs of Road Crashes in Tamil Nadu,’ the study was undertaken by the Centre of Excellence for Road Safety (CoERS)/ Rehabilitation Bioengineering Group (RBG) labs of IIT Madras. It has come out with three different estimates of the socio-economic impact. These estimates have been calculated considering medical costs, loss of taxation revenue, which is also considered as production loss, human costs, damages to the vehicle, civil damages and administrative costs such as police, insurance, legal.  

Kamakoti said, “Road accidents cause the maximum trauma for both victims and their kith and kin. The study performed here not only try to quantify them but also point to methods for reducing them.” One of the highlights of the study is that it includes travel delay costs due to road crashes and efficiency tax, which are costs that the government may have to impose on the society to revive the economy after incurring these huge costs. 

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