SaveLIFE Foundation, a non-profit organisation, released a seven-city commissioned survey, that studies why passers-by in India so often fail to come forward to help road accident victims. Piyush Tewari, Founder, SaveLIFE Foundation said, “Public inaction is often blamed at apathy but in several mass-casualty incidents such as building collapses and train crashes it is the public that is often the first to respond to victims, then why do they hesitate when it comes to victims of road accidents and violence? This study documents and answers that.”
The survey reveals that 74 per cent of bystanders are unlikely to help severely injured road-side victims. 88 per cent of bystanders who are unlikely to help a victim felt that having to go to police stations and courts for repeated questioning are major deterrents for bringing the victims to hospital. A large number of respondents felt that their city lacked a rapid response ambulance service. Additionally, the survey compares emergent trends in different cities. The proportion of bystanders who were likely to help a severely injured victim in a relatively public environment varied from as low as six per cent in Delhi to as high as 65 per cent in Indore.
Highlighting the importance of a safe and supportive environment, 74 per cent of bystanders feel that if they had to they may be more inclined to help a victim near their place of residence or work due to familiar surroundings.
Underlining the lack of awareness about critical medical facilities, the survey revealed that almost two of every five bystanders were unaware of where to take the victim for emergency trauma care.
However, most respondents are cognizant of the importance of a stronger law. 88 per cent of respondents expressed the desire for a law that would create a supportive environment for them to assist injured victims.
The survey was carried out among 1,027 road-users across Delhi, Hyderabad, Kanpur, Ludhiana, Mumbai, Indore and Kolkata. Within each location, the survey was conducted at busy city intersections as well as along highway stretches leading to the city. Three broad categories of respondents were covered during this survey, viz. pedestrians, vehicle owners and patrons at roadside establishments.
EH News Bureau
