Street Menace: Business Leaders Who Lost Lives in Road Accidents

India is world's capital in road accident,. According to an Annual Report on 'Road Accidents in India-2022' published by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, a total of 4,61,312 road accidents were reported by states and union territories (UTs) during the calendar year.

– These accidents resulted in 1,68,491 fatalities and caused injuries to 4,43,366 individuals.

– Compared to 2021, there was an 11.9% increase in accidents in 2022, a 9.4% increase in fatalities, and a 15.3% increase in injuries.

The report highlighted the urgency of addressing contributing factors to these accidents, including speeding, reckless driving, drunken driving, and non-compliance with traffic regulations. Strengthening enforcement mechanisms, enhancing driver education and training programs, and improving road conditions and vehicle safety are crucial steps to curb road accidents.

The Ministry is actively involved in initiatives such as modern transportation systems, road safety audits, and international collaborations to learn from global best practices.

In last couple of years, there are number of incidences wherein top leadership of the well-known companies have lost their lives in road accidents. This emphasize the need of urgent attention required towards rising road menaces, and the attention is much needed not just from the government but Indian states' authorities, employers and the people as well.

Below are some prominent business personalities that ended their journey on the earth on the concrete pathway to heaven :

Avtar Singh Saini

Semiconductor giant Intel’s South Asia division former director Avtar Singh Saini, who had majorly contributed to the Pentium processor's design and development, died in a fatal crash in Navi Mumbai, India, on 28 February, 2024

Rajalakshmi Vijay

The CEO of Altruism Technologies, a Mumbai-based tech company, died in a road accident in March 2023. Vijay, who was an avid runner, was hit by a speeding SUV while jogging near the Worli Sea Face.

Parag Desai

The Executive Director of the famous tea brand Wagh Bakri, Parag Desai passed away in a tragic road accident in October 2023. Desai played a significant role in leading industry platforms like the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and other international organisations.

Cyrus Mistry

The former chairman of Tata Sons, Cyrus Mistry, died in a car accident in September 2022 while traveling from Gujarat to Mumbai.

Sanjay Shah

The CEO of Vistex, Sanjay Shah, died in a freak accident in January 2024 while celebrating the company's silver jubilee celebration.

These incidents serve as a reminder of the importance of road safety for everyone, regardless of their position or status.

Cryptocurrency 'Mobilio' Helps Reducing Traffic Accidents - Austrian Firm

Most of us automatically reach for our phone the moment a message arrives. We also answer incoming immediately because they could be important. This is not a problem, unless you are driving a vehicle. When you check a message at 55mph, you end up driving blind for about the length of a football field.

Traffic accidents are the most frequent cause of death worldwide for people aged between 5 and 29. In a quarter of all accidents, the mobile phone now plays a role, making it the number one cause of accidents. In addition to personal suffering, there is also economic damage amounting to almost 500 billion euros a year.

Traditional approaches such as traffic penalties have proved ineffective due to the deep-rooted psychological nature of the problem. "The satisfaction of our curiosity by reaching for the phone is directly connected with the reward system of our brain," explains Neurologist and Chairman of the Berlin Medical Association Examination Commission for Neurologists, Dr. Afshin Jawari.

"This is exactly why we are relying on reward instead of punishment," says Harald Trautsch, CEO of Dolphin Technologies. With the Mobilio app, which is available for Android devices and iPhones, you receive points for not using your mobile phone while driving. Those points convert to Mobilio tokens so, in effect, anyone can 'mint' the currency simply by distraction-free driving. "This democratization of the distribution of Mobilio tokens has important implications for its future use and value," adds Trautsch.

[caption id="attachment_132882" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Mobilio app screenshots: wallet, main screen, and 'don’t touch while driving’ screen[/caption]

The method for minting Mobilio tokens ensures they generate real value to society, which is road safety. Meanwhile, the digital currency is designed in a way that the more people use the app, the greater its value. "The vision that the Mobilio token could one day have a similar performance to Bitcoin and Co creates a strong incentive to drive safely," says Trautsch.

Mobilio tokens can be used in the so-called 'Mobilio Marketplace', which Dolphin Technologies is currently setting up together with industry partners. The currency can be used to pay for the products and services of insurance companies, retailers and other marketplace participants. In addition, the token will be traded on crypto exchanges within the next few months, giving it a tangible value in the 'real' world.



Mobilio White Paper: https://www.mobilio.cc/wp-content/uploads/MOBILIO-Whitepaper.pdf
Mobilio Yellow Paper: https://www.mobilio.cc/wp-content/uploads/difficulty_yellow_paper.pdf

How Will Wearables Help Prevent A Lot Of Road Accidents?

1.3 million deaths, this is what the annual ballpark figure of road accidents is. That accounts for 3287 deaths a day. Moreover, 20-25 million are left crippled and injured. Nothing could impede the perils of such mishaps, be it acts, laws, training, slogans, etc. The ascending graph needs to be shepherded to downward slope. Playing with own and others' life now has to get its stop button. And what else can be this stop button? Yes, none other than technology! The latest entered android wears is believed to be the lives savior. Android wears already exhibit varied pragmatic applications in our day-to-day life, but its aid to culminate the life threatening accidents was not yet brought into the picture.

Never before connection between car and driver

One out of five accidents takes place when the driver unintentionally lands himself in a sleeping mode. Get your eyes off and you invite an accident. Smart watches when worn around your wrist bounce back the signing in a nap, thus averting the car crash. The built in sensors, by its algorithm detects the movement frequency and velocity, analyzing the driver’s frame of mind. And before the sleep dissolves in wearer's eyes, perpetual vibrations on the wrist throw it out of the eyes. Consciousness therefore remains intact throughout, especially when the journey is longsome. Nissan, the mammoth car manufacturer, is all set to unveil its smart watch. "Never before connection between car and driver" is what this giant claims. The watch would constantly feed drivers with essentials like fuel consumption, average speed and vehicle function data.

Must be expecting more, after all, Nissan is being talked about? A plethora of services can be monitored via your watch, from oil change to tires rotated to refill your windshield wiper fluid and so on. Now from cars, shifting to you, Nissan also has a lot to get to keep a check on you. Heart rate, brainwave activity, etc is what watch scans, immediately sweeping away the approaching distractions (dizziness, sleep, etc), allowing you to halt the car sideways and rest a little.

Keeping pedestrians safe!

Bike and car clash are no more destined to happen. A gadget, Rider Alert when hooked to your car, with Bluetooth and specific app ID, would alert the driver about the nearby bikers. Thus, lurking danger would never reach both the car and the biker. That day is not away when your hand held phone would ditto the traffic signals. Every day, there are thousands who cross over while crossing crosswalks carelessly. Thus, the need of formula to deal with it tactically. The pedestrian posts would be set up with Bluetooth to alert the pedestrians when close by crosswalks. How would be the signal like? Screens on your device flashing red light, instructing walkers to look up and halt until the green reappears.

In this pace battle, we tend to forget about the importance of life. These technical inventions are the means that would neutralize our negligence. It might not eradicate accidents but it is definitely a positive step forward. Substantial mitigation in accidents is assured. Something with the potential to save lives, really a positive attribute towards technology.

About the author:

Rishabh Bhandari is the Co-Founder at Yoda Learning, a start-up focused on teaching in-demand technologies using projects to people across the world to make them employable. Prior to this he was part of the Investment Team at an Education-focused fund. Rishabh is an avid traveler and a music enthusiast. You can reach him at rishabh(at)yodalearning.com