Women victims of road accidents and public health in India

Road transport is the dominant mode of transport in India, both in terms of traffic share and in terms of contribution to the national economy. To meet the demand for road transport, the number of vehicles and the length of road network have increased over the years. A negative externality associated with expansion in road network, motorization and urbanization in the country is the increase in road accidents and road crash fatalities. Today, road traffic injuries are one of the leading causes of death, disabilities and hospitalization in the country imposing huge socio-economic costs. Road safety is emerging as a major social concern in the country. The number of deaths per year per 10000 motor vehicles in India is 10 to 15 times more than that in advanced countries. According to a survey from WHO, each year road traffic injuries take away lives of 1.2 million men, women, and children around the globe and injure many more. The death toll is on the higher side for the countries where pedestrians, motorcyclists and passengers are vulnerable and vehicles lack the safety norms, like India. This paper through a primary research tries to look at the impact road traffic injuries on women victims and their post trauma care in Delhi.