We are all pedestrians. Walking is a basic and  common mode of transport in all societies around the world. Virtually every trip begins and ends with walking. Pedestrians are a highly diverse group and the most vulnerable road users. The group includes children, older people, teenagers, joggers, the disabled and mobility impaired, and some may be using wheeled toys or recreational devices such as skateboards, rollerblades and foot scooters.

Each year, more than 270 000 pedestrians lose their lives on the world’s roads. Many leave their homes as they would on any given day, never to return. Globally, pedestrians constitute 22% of all road traffic fatalities, and in some countries this proportion is as high as two thirds of all road traffic deaths. Millions of pedestrians are non-fatally injured – but some of whom are left with permanent disabilities. These incidents cause much suffering and grief, as well as economic hardship.

These tips for drivers and road users are for emergency use only. Be careful regular use may harm in many ways.

Emergency Winter Riding Tips: Staying Warm on Your Bike

When Warm Clothes are Scarce

Winter biking can be quite challenging, especially when you find yourself without adequate warm clothing. However, with a little creativity and resourcefulness, you can still stay warm during your ride. Here's a special emergency tip to help you brave the cold:

Using Everyday Items for Extra Warmth

Gather Materials: If you're short on warm clothing, look around for items like newspapers and plastic sheets. These are usually easily available.

Layering Technique: Start by removing your upper clothing layers (shirt/t-shirt). Lay out a sheet of newspaper and place a plastic sheet on top of it.

Wrap and Secure: Lie down on the newspaper and plastic sheet, and wrap it around your torso snugly. You can use a thin rope or any type of tape to secure the wrap in place. Make sure it's tight but comfortable.

Put on Clothes Again: Carefully put your shirt or upper clothing back on over the wrapped layers. This creates an extra barrier against the cold wind.

Lower Body Layering: You can apply the same technique for your lower body if needed. Wrap newspaper and plastic sheets around your legs, ensuring you can still move your knees freely.

Leaving Joints Free: When wrapping, leave your elbows and knees slightly loose to ensure ease of movement.

Protect Your Head: Always wear a helmet to protect your head from the cold wind. You can also stuff some newspaper inside the helmet for added insulation.

By improvising with items like newspapers and plastic sheets, you can create makeshift insulation to keep your body warmer during your bike ride. While this solution might not be a long-term substitute for proper winter gear, it can certainly make a difference in emergency situations.

Remember, safety is paramount. Ensure that your vision, hearing, and movement aren't compromised by the makeshift layers, and be cautious of any discomfort or restriction while riding.

Stay safe and warm on the road!

Road Traffic Injuries, The Reality and one must agree to it…Don’t wait until you see a problem before you start taking action to protect kids. There are simple things you can do every day to make sure kids are safe and then teach others. Make sure every adult who cares about kids has the information they need to be confident about making a commitment to safety.

We all want to keep our children safe and secure and help them live to their full potential. Knowing how to prevent leading causes of child injury, like road traffic injuries, is a step toward this goal.

According to survey, every hour nearly 150 children between ages 0 and 19 are treated in emergency departments for injuries sustained in motor vehicle crashes. More children ages 5 to 19 die from crash-related injuries than from any other type of injury. what all can we do to make our children safe from such injuries? The answer to this question is by teaching them road safety which is very important for them to learn as well as for us to know.

Do you know what the advantages of road safety are? I will tell you road safety is one of the major step to secure our child’s life and an important part of our life. Road safety helps in reducing the number of road deaths and injuries.

It is very important that victims should get help in first hour  after accident. First hour is very critical for any road accident victim. If   medical help is provided in first hour most of the lives can be saved that is why it is called GOLDEN HOUR.

1. Put on emergency light in your vehicle and stop on a safe place. This will alert other drivers.
2. Call the police and/or Ambulance
3. Do not touch, turn the victims if you are not trained in first aid.
4. Blood loss is bad; stop any bleeding as soon as possible but keep the wounds sanitary as much as possible. if sterile dressings are not immediately available, use clean cloths but sanitary napkins would be best option.
6. If you think that the victim needs Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) but you don’t know how to give, call the ambulance or someone who has the knowledge, they will assist you over the phone.
7. Do not give accident victims anything to eat or drink including water.
8. Give the victim assurance that help is on the way.
9. Do not try to put them in auto or car to take them to hospital this may damage more.
10. Talk to them, calm them down,
11. Keep talking do not let them sleep.
12. In case there is no sign of help (Ambulance or Police) or taking too long and you think that these victims need immediate help, you can carry them in a taxi, car even auto if nothing is available but remember following points
    1. Do not bend the patient
    2. Do not make them sit or walk
    3. when transferring into car/taxi make sure head and back are fully supported.
    4. do not let any part of the body hang in the air.
    5. do the same thing when carrying them our from vehicle.

I am sharing this out of my personal experience, in the year 2014 I accompanied a dear friend of mine to Ghazhiabad Tahsil office for issuance of learners driving license. When we reached there suddenly many self claimed service providers approached us and started offering help. Everybody was coating a different price tag for a learners license and later on for a permanent driving license.

As an inquisitive mind I inquired from them why the variance between the price was so much between the offering service providers? One of them started boasting that he had a direct connection with the license issuing authority there and he would insure us of first the learners license and later a permanent license without standing in the queue and without waiting period and more importantly without going through any required driving test as prescribed under the law. Initially, we believed that it was a fake promise but immediately he gave us example with an instance of a client who was ready and willing to offer him occasion for service.

We were really surprised at this because, the officer who was supposed under the law to see that everything was in order before a person can be issued a license, at least this much that he knew properly to handle a motor vehicle and that too on a public street did not even bother to see him personally and that fellow walked with a driving license and lord knows which part of the country he must be driving because under the Central Rules it is valid for all over the country. We came out and after a while we went there and approached the same gentle man and it was repeated in our situation as well. Though we were very happy that the whole burdensome exercise was over in few minutes for little money but that impression and guilt still quenches me whenever I recall that situation.

Shishir Pinaki

(Author is a Supreme Court Lawyer)

• Pedestrians are not just ‘traffic’ — they are people. They are unpredictable, and the younger they are the faster they are likely to move or change direction. Those with children, the elderly, the blind and the disabled all need your care.
• As a driver  you have the legal and moral responsibility to take proper care to avoid accidents with pedestrians at all times and places — even if the pedestrian is jaywalking. Always try to give way to a pedestrian on the roadway.
• Please drive carefully and slowly when pedestrians are about particularly in crowded streets, or when you see a bus stop, or near a stall. Look out for pedestrians entering the road suddenly, for example from behind parked or stopped vehicles.
• When entering or emerging from a place facing the road, wherever possible use proper driveways and try to avoid reversing. Always give way to pedestrians.
• As a driver you always should obey all speed and road rules and to pay particular care around restricted speed zones, and to be vigilant with pedestrians.

Most drivers and bikers don’t realize that they engage in a serious even dangerous activity each day…Driving! Traffic fatalities are a tragic, leading cause of death, especially of young people. Many of us have no choice but to drive everyday, so why not take steps to minimize the risks associated with transportation.  Focus on safety and be a safe, defensive driver.

Always wear your seat belt!
Seat belts reduce the risk of death.

Make sure your vehicle is in proper working order (good tires, brakes, etc.).

Give yourself plenty of distance from the vehicle in front of you.
Count the number of seconds from when the car in front of you passes a stationary object to when you pass it.
It should be at least 2 seconds, give 4 seconds if you are traveling at a high speed or the road conditions are poor.

Do not talk or SMS on the phone while driving.

Do not eat or smoke while driving! That will also save you extra calories and harmful nicotine effect.

Don’t assume that because you have the right of way other drivers will yield.
Count on people who may not see you or stopping for you.
Be constantly ready to act and react in favour of road safety.

Stay out of other vehicle’s blind spots.

Always check your blind spot with a quick glance over the shoulder carefully
before changing lanes.

Be on the left-most side of road in blind turns.