(a) whether traffic violations have been reported on the National Highways including use of mobile phones in moving vehicles, causing accidents and compromising with commuter safety;  (b) if so, the details thereof and the remedial measures being taken by the Government/NHAI in this regard;  (c) whether the Government/NHAI proposes to appoint safety experts to inspect accident sites, undertake safety audits and suggest road safety strategy/guidelines and procure modern gadgets for tracking/stopping vehicles reporting any violation;  (d) if so, the details thereof; and  (e) the time by which such measures are likely to be implemented? ANSWER MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT & HIGHWAYS (SHRI KAMAL NATH)  (a) to (e) Traffic violations have been causing accidents on all roads including National Highways. Road accidents and fatalities occurring on National Highways are mainly caused due to a number of factors such as driver’s fault, mechanical defects in the vehicles, fault of pedestrians, bad road, bad weather, increase in vehicular population, increase in population, heterogeneous traffic etc. Data on road accidents due to traffic violations cannot be segregated though the driver’s fault is the single most important factor responsible for accidents, fatalities and injuries. Since traffic violations including use of mobile phones while driving motor vehicles are causing accidents, all State Governments/UTs who are primarily responsible for enforcing provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act/Central Motor Vehicles Rules have been advised from time to time to gear up their enforcement machinery to implement the provisions of law in true spirit to eliminate the chances of road accidents.  A statement containing point wise reply is laid on the table of the House.  STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 13 FOR ANSWER ON 23.02.2010 ASKED BY SHRI ARJUN MEGHWAL REGARDING TRAFFIC VIOLATION ON NATIONAL HIGHWAYS.  (a) Traffic violations like rash and negligent driving, over speeding, drunken driving, overtaking etc. are major causes of the road accidents in the country. Traffic violations are attributed to drivers’ fault and use of mobile phone while driving motor vehicles carries a potential accident risk and certainly distracts the attention of the driver thereby increasing the probability of occurrence of accidents.  (b) This Ministry collects information in respect of road accidents from State Governments in a 19-item format devised under the Asia Pacific Road Accident Database (APRAD) project of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for the Asia & the Pacific (UNESCAP). Data regarding causes for accidents are collected for the complete State/ UT irrespective of the category of road. The data on total road accidents, fatal accidents, persons killed and persons injured due to road accidents on National Highways for the years 2004 to 2007 is given in Annex. It is, however, not possible to furnish data regarding causes of road accidents specifically on National Highways. The analysis of causes of road accidents in India for all the roads shows that driver’s fault is the single most important factor responsible for accidents, fatalities and injuries. Driver’s fault accounted for about 80% of total accidents, 81% of total number of persons injured and 75% of the total number of persons killed on all roads in road accidents during 2007. The data on road accidents due to use of mobile phones in moving vehicles is not separately captured in the APRAD format.  As regards remedial measures, the Motor Vehicles Act 1988 and Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989 contain a number of provisions, which if enforced strictly, would curb traffic violations by drivers. The enforcement of these provisions is primarily the responsibility of the concerned State Government. The States have been advised from time to time to enforce various provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act 1988 to improve road safety scenario in the country. Measures taken by Central Government include provision of refresher training to drivers of heavy motor vehicles, publicity campaign on road safety awareness through audio- visual –print media and setting up of model driver training institutes. NHAI has also been providing various measures to enhance the road safety like segregation of local & through traffic by constructing flyovers, underpasses, bypasses, service roads, etc.; safety features like road markings, signages, crash barriers, studs, delineators, lighting in urban areas/ bridges/ flyovers, speed retarders on cross roads at junctions, etc.; and pedestrian facilities like zebra crossings, pedestrian underpasses, foot over bridges, pedestrian guardrails, etc.  (c ) to (e) In case of Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) projects implemented by NHAI, there is a provision for Safety Expert in the team of Design Consultant and Independent Engineer to take care of the safety related matters during design and construction respectively. In the new projects, the system is further strengthened through appointment of a Safety Consultant. The safety consultant shall employ a team comprising, without limitation, one road safety expert and one traffic planner to undertake safety audit of the Project Highway. The safety consultant shall carry out safety audit in accordance with safety requirements and shall take all other actions necessary for securing compliance with safety requirements. Appointment of safety consultants is an ongoing process.  The provision of modern gadgets for tracking/stopping vehicles reporting any violations is primarily the responsibility of the concerned State Government. The Central Government has provided 24 interceptors to the various States/UTs for help in monitoring and controlling traffic violations.