The Road Safety Awareness Week is observed from 11th January to 17th January, the aim of this campaign is to sensitize people about practicing safe road travel. Department of Public Health & Family Welfare, Government of Maharashtra, has implemented Maharashtra Emergency Medical Services (Dial Toll Free 108) services in the state since 2014.
Managed and Operated by BVG India Limited with a fleet of 937 ambulance across Maharashtra, MEMS 108 has served 236376 trauma emergencies since 2014 and has recorded an increase of 162% in the number of road accident emergencies in the last 4 years. Most emergencies are recorded during 4pm to 8pm followed by 8pm to 12am; which accounts to 50% of total cases in state. The most likely causes for Road Accidents are high density of traffic or drinking and driving.
Road accidents cause fatalities and some of victims become suffer from mental trauma, loss of memory, loss of hand or legs. This calls for increase in the importance and necessity of the road safety measures. The MEMS 108 emergency service caters to at least one case of mass casualty per day involving vehicles; most of them being on the highways. The highest emergencies have been recorded in Pune followed by Solapur, Mumbai and Thane.
Mr Hanmantrao Gaikwad, Chairman and Managing Director, BVG India Limited said, comments, “With increase in number of young drivers and newer cars on the roads, Road Safety has emerged as one of the major concerns in the state. The Ministry of Transport, NHAI and other related departments are undertaking many initiatives like building newer roads, widening highways, and barricading, illuminating roads with high efficiency LEDs, etc, to make travel safe for citizens. Accidents and deaths can be avoided if pedestrians and drivers inculcate road safety measures. Road Safety Awareness week aims to educate people about safety measures to be observed while driving or walking on the road. BVG India Limited operates India’s largest emergency medical ambulances service in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi with a fleet of 1700+ ambulances”.
MEMS 108 – Traumatic Emergencies served –
| Year |
Traumatic Emergencies served |
| 2014 |
28758 |
| 2015 |
56290 |
| 2016 |
75769 |
| 2017 |
75559 |
| Total |
236376 |
| Causes:
• Road conditions
• Overly fast driving speeds
• Alcohol, drug, or medication consumption prior to driving
• Aggressive driving such as fast driving/swerving
• Driver carelessness
• Distractions during driving/riding/walking (ex. Mobile phone)
• Seat belt or motorbike helmet not worn by the rider/driver and passengers
• Signals not obeyed or hanging off of a vehicle. |
Prevention:
· DO NOT DRIVE if you have taken alcohol or drugs.
· Do not allow anybody who has taken alcohol or drugs to drive.
· Use helmets and seatbelts at all times.
· Do not speak on the mobile phone while driving, riding a motorbike, or walking on or crossing the road.
· Look both ways before crossing the road.
· Do not leave children unattended on the road.
· Obey traffic rules and observe speed limits
· Do not hang off of a vehicle or crowd onto a motorbike
· Avoid situations which cause anger or irritation prior to driving
|
| Action before the ambulance arrives:
· Use personal protective equipment while handling an injured victim
· Enter the scene only if it is safe and get help to divert traffic from the victim
· Check the victim’s responsiveness
· Do CPR if the victim is not breathing
· Attempt to stop any external bleeding by using a clean handkerchief and applying direct pressure to the site of bleeding
· Wait for the ambulance to arrive instead of attempting to transport the victim to the hospital in any other vehicle. You may do further damage in the process of transporting him/her
· If not ambulance is available, shift the victim in an appropriate position
|
Call 108 if:
· There is a collision or accident on the road
· The individuals are lying on the road and appearing to be injured, unconscious, or bleeding
|
| Do NOT:
· Do NOT enter the scene unless it is safe
· Do NOT remove any penetrating objects (ex. Broken glass/metal)
· Do NOT lift the victim because neck injuries are likely and may paralyze the victim permanently.
|
| Note:
· A Good Samaritan who takes an accident victim to a hospital will not be asked any questions and can leave immediately. He/she cannot be forced to stay unless they are an eyewitness in which case only their address can be noted.
· The Good Samaritan will NOT be held for any criminal or civil liability.
· A bystander who calls the police or emergency service to the site of a road accident does not have to reveal his name or any other personal details on the phone or in person.
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