The Maharashtra Road Safety Network has written to the state government urgently calling for all schools situated within a 500-metre radius of state and national highways to be declared as “black spots”. This aims to prioritise road safety interventions in these areas to protect our most vulnerable road users: children.

“The proximity of schools to high-speed traffic corridors significantly increases the risk of crashes, endangering the lives of students, parents, and school staff. Recent data indicates a disturbing trend of crashes and near-misses around these educational institutions, underscoring the need for immediate action. In Maharashtra, 454 children died due to road crashes in 2022, according to a recent Maharashtra Highway Traffic police report,” Ranjit Gadgil, programme director (Parisar) said.