Road deaths in Mumbai have decreased from 611 to 490 in the past two years while fatal crashes have seen a significant fall from 586 to 467 which has overall represented a 20 per cent reduction in deaths. The Mumbai Traffic Control Branch (MTCB), while launching a new helmet-wearing mass media campaign in joint collaboration with Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS), have provided the data so as to initiate an intense helmet-wearing enforcement operation to bring down the number of casualties and fatal injuries. The report also hints that the numbers of youths in the list of fatalities is high but if the bikers increase the use of helmets, then the numbers could come down. The MTCB, while launching the above mentioned campaign has also unveiled the Mumbai Road Safety Report 2017, which highlights road fatalities, pedestrian fatalities, traffic code violations, fatal crashes and other such details, recorded in the previous year. The campaign, which stresses on two-wheeler vehicle drivers along with pillion riders to wear a properly-strapped helmet, shall be on major Out-Of-Home (OOH) spaces of the city in Marathi, Hindi and English languages over the next four weeks. After the report was released on Saturday, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic (headquarter), Saurabh Tripathi, said, "Motorcyclists make up two fifths of all road deaths and majority of them are youths. As the number of motorcycles plying on the road is increasing day by day, a 'speeding high' on the roads makes the riders vulnerable to accidents. If riders wear helmets properly, then the numbers can be brought down. Also commercial vehicles are found at fault in more fatal crashes than other vehicles." "Better protection of pedestrians is an important priority for the city and for their protection, road design features such as side walks, raised crossings and shortened crossing distances are being used. Changing road behaviours, such as, speed and drink driving can also contribute positively in this direction." Tripathi added. HELMETS ARE KEY

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