Kerala Mandates Blind Spot Mirrors for Heavy Vehicles

Rapid Summary

• Kerala has mandated installing blind spot mirrors on all heavy vehicles, including buses and trucks, to improve road safety.
• Blind spots in heavy vehicles have been identified as a major factor in accidents involving pedestrians, two-wheeler riders, and pillion passengers.
• Transport Commissioner C.H.Nagaraju highlighted that around three-fourths of road accident victims in Kerala are motorcyclists and pedestrians, citing 3,875 deaths from 48,841 accidents reported in 2024.
• Newly manufactured heavy vehicles already include blind spot mirrors or rear side view cameras; however, older or custom-built vehicles lack thes features.
• Road Transport Offices (RTOs) will offer training to drivers about using the blind spot mirrors effectively.Guidelines for driving schools will emphasize this safety measure during driving tests.
• Vulnerable road users like pedestrians and two-wheeler riders are advised to adopt defensive behavior near heavy vehicles.

Indian Opinion Analysis

Kerala’s decision to mandate blind spot mirrors on heavy vehicles is a significant step toward reducing fatalities resulting from unavoidable visibility gaps faced by drivers of large automobiles. The data provided-highlighting motorcyclists and pedestrians as victims in 75% of fatal accidents-underscores the urgent need for such measures. These inexpensive tools could drastically lower incident rates while protecting vulnerable road users.The inclusion of training programs by RTOs ensures proper implementation at grassroots levels. Additionally, emphasizing defensive driving among all parties involved helps foster safer interactions between different entities sharing the roads. This move not only displays proactive policymaking but also offers an example worth replicating across other states facing similar concerns about urban transport systems.

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