The Hindu Business Line : Rash driving, high-beam lights irk road users: NHAI survey

Causes of irritation
75 per cent of respondents are not happy with unauthorised pedestrian crossing.
71 per cent are averse to high-beam headlights, 65 per cent to wrong parking and 59 per cent to air/noise pollution (59 per cent).

New Delhi , May 17

Even as an overwhelming majority (96 per cent) of respondents in a recent NHAI survey felt that that the overall conditions of the national highways had improved, safety issues including rash driving and high-beam headlights emerged as major irritants for road users in the country.

According to the findings of country's first-ever national road user survey, commissioned by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the improved road condition has resulted in high speed and rash driving by commercial drivers of four-wheelers and two-wheelers.

Some 82 per cent of 16,802 respondents (who use motorised vehicles) have raised concerns on the poor driving habits of taxis and two-wheelers.

Other reasons cited

Next on the list of "causes of irritation" for road users are unauthorised pedestrian crossing (75 per cent of respondents), followed by high-beam headlights (71 per cent), wrong parking (65 per cent), animals crossing the roads (64 per cent), and air/noise pollution (59 per cent).

While potholes on the roads irked 54 per cent of users, 49 per cent of respondents are unhappy when their smooth drive is interrupted due to congestion and checking by the police.

Another 26 per cent of users were not happy with red lights or intersections.

The Marketing and Development Research Associates, the agency that conducted the survey, interviewed 19,816 road users - 16,802 owners and commuters in motorised vehicles and 3,014 cyclists, bullock cart owners, pedestrians and households/shops near highways for the survey.

Positive signs

About 95 per cent users were satisfied with the Golden Quadrilateral, while over 85 per cent people felt that the quality of road surface is good.

According to the survey, this high level of satisfaction can be attributed to their low expectation levels and the quantum leap in their experience.

But it has also said that this level of satisfaction would be difficult to sustain in the long run as the expectations of users are bound to go up.