Latest news with #GlobalNewCarAssessmentProgramme
Time of India
28-04-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
GNCAP urges corporates and fleet owners to prioritise five-star rated Vehicles
The Global New Car Assessment Programme ( GNCAP ) has updated its FleetSafe guide, recommending that corporates and fleet owners select vehicles based on NCAP five-star safety ratings and UN safety standards for passenger cars. David Ward, President Emeritus of GNCAP, stated that, 'Work-related crashes cause a third of global road deaths, making driving one of the biggest risks for employees. To assist fleet managers in making safer vehicle purchasing decisions, Global NCAP has revised and further developed our FleetSafe guide. It reflects the latest thinking and recommendations on vehicle selection." "Improved fleet selection and purchasing can contribute greatly to ensuring safer vehicles enter the fleet, safeguarding the health and well-being of employees and contribute to saving lives globally,' he added. 'Using Global NCAP's guidelines and adopting a five star commitment will be the best way for fleet managers to meet their duty of care for employees, reduce the costs of road crashes, and demonstrate real commitment towards Corporate Social Responsibility. How vehicle fleets are driven, maintained, and purchased is an important contributor to improved road safety ,' Ward further added. Call for enhanced two-wheeler safety Ward also drew attention to the safety of two-wheelers, noting that over 1.1 billion two-wheelers are sold globally and that multiple safety measures are needed to improve their safety. 'Two-wheelers should have ABS, blind spot detection systems and more to make them safer. With two-wheelers accounting for 44% of road fatalities in India, improving their safety is a major priority. These priorities include anti-lock brakes , standards for helmets, enforcement and road design,' he said. Speaking at a conference on 'Vehicle and Fleet Safety ' organised by the Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE), Ward further stated:'For further safety of two-wheeler riders, GNCAP recommends anti-lock brakes (ABS) for all bikes capable of plus 50kmh. India is world leader on ABS standard but it has mandated ABS above 125cc but could go further.' 'Since ABS has been a successful intervention to reduce the risk of road crashes and fatalities involving two-wheelers, this should be a feature in all motorised two-wheelers above 50cc. Safe technological systems, including ABS for all two-wheelers, cannot be ignored.'
Time of India
26-04-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Safety first: Govt mulls mandatory ABS for all two-wheelers above 50cc
Representative image NEW DELHI: Government is considering making anti-lock braking systems (ABS) mandatory for all two-wheelers with engine capacity above 50cc. At present, ABS is only required in motorcycles over 125cc. This safety feature helps prevent wheel lock-up during sudden braking, enhancing control and reducing stopping distances, especially on slippery roads. Experts from India and abroad have emphasised the need for this provision, in addition to the mandatory wearing of helmets for all two-wheeler occupants — which is currently enforced, to reduce deaths and serious injuries. Two-wheeler riders are among the most vulnerable road users after pedestrians and cyclists, as they have little to no protection. 'Since ABS has been a successful intervention to reduce the risk of road crashes and fatalities involving two-wheelers and fatalities, this should be a feature in all motorised two-wheelers above 50cc,' said David Ward of Global New Car Assessment Programme at a conference on 'Vehicle and Fleet Safety' at the Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE). Safe technological systems, including ABS for all two-wheelers, cannot be ignored, he added. Road safety expert Rohit Baluja highlighted the need to include two-wheelers in transport planning since they constitute 74% of all vehicles in India and 44% people killed on roads are two-wheeler occupants. 'Today, we only talk about putting helmets on two-wheeler riders. Is the helmet the only answer? Has anyone spoken about the transportation planning to reduce the number of these two-wheelers in the country? Two-wheelers are sandwiched between other vehicles due to poor traffic and transport planning... Powered two-wheelers destroy road discipline of all users and there is a need to address their requirement while planning and building roads,' Baluja said. He added that there is a need to have dedicated driving lanes for two-wheelers. President emeritus of International Road Federation, K K Kapila, said two-wheelers are the lifeline of major cities, despite improvement in public transport, and the only solution is to find ways and means to make them safe with use of technology.
