‘Accident is not act of god, but act of humans, AI can only help in getting better data and analysis’, Pg17

Key Highlights:

• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and IIT Madras have created Sanjaya, an AI-driven road safety platform.
• Sanjaya is being implemented in 100 accident-prone districts across 17 states.
• The app analyzes data, identifies accident-prone spots (black spots), and aims to reduce road mishaps and casualties.
• Sanjaya uses data from iRAD (Integrated Road Accident Database) and field perception surveys to provide insights to district officials.
• Several states including Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Odisha are implementing the app at a broader level.

Detailed Insights:

• Sanjaya functions as a comprehensive tool providing district bureaucrats with actionable intelligence by collecting, analyzing, and presenting data in a user-friendly format.
• The app integrates AI models to analyze location data from iRAD, field perception surveys, and trauma center preparedness.
• Field perception surveys capture local knowledge about potential accident spots, even before major incidents occur, enhancing data collection.
• iRAD's second phase focuses on improving data quality through assessments of promptness, completeness, adequacy, and consistency.
• The implementation of Sanjaya aims to foster a data-driven decision-making mindset among district leadership, promoting more informed interventions.
• The government is also creating the Sadak Suraksha Mitra scheme to assist district administrations in executing road safety measures, providing a formal structure for road safety.
• A coordinated systems approach involving decision-makers, intervention teams, and data collectors is crucial for effective road safety efforts.
• Behavioral change and human adaptation to high speeds are essential for reducing fatalities, as accidents are primarily caused by human actions, not natural events.

Key Concepts Involved:

• iRAD (Integrated Road Accident Database): A unified platform for collecting and managing accident data from various sources like police, health, and transport departments.
• Black Spots: Specific locations identified as being highly prone to accidents based on historical data and analysis.
• AI (Artificial Intelligence): The simulation of human intelligence processes by computer systems, used here for data analysis and pattern recognition.