CHENNAI/BHUBANESHWAR : Indian Institute of Technology Madras’ RBG Labs (IIT Madras) has partnered with the Government of Odisha to adopt a data-driven and empathy-based approach to enhance road safety in the State. This collaboration is part of a mission to reduce road fatalities through strategic, evidence-driven interventions.
This initiative is curated based on RBG Labs’ ‘5E model and Transportation Safety Framework’ (TSF). This encompasses Engineering, Education, Enforcement, Emergency Care with a central focus on human factors (Empathy) to drive impactful road safety measures across the State.
A MoU towards this collaboration was signed on 23rd December 2024 at Bhubaneshwar between IIT Madras RBG Labs and the Commerce and Transport Department under the visionary leadership of the Hon’ble Commerce and Transport and Steel and Mines Minister, Shri Bhibhuti Bhusan Jena.
Commending this IIT Madras initiative, Shri Bibhuti Bhusan Jena, Hon’ble Steel and Mines, Commerce and Transport Minister, Government of Odisha, said, “This partnership with IIT Madras is a key step towards our vision of Viksit Odisha where safety and innovation co-exist for benefit of every citizen. These initiatives under MoU will focus on leveraging real-time data and modern technology along with engaging communication tools to create long-term solutions to effectively address issues relating to Road Safety.”
Speaking about this programme, Smt Usha Padhee, IAS, Principal Secretary, Transport and Commerce, Government of Odisha, said, “Our collaboration with IIT Madras marks an important step in leveraging technology and research to enhance road safety standards in Odisha. Through this initiative, we seek to build capacity among our officers and ensure that road safety becomes a top priority across departments and at all levels.”
Explaining the need for the programme, Shri Amitabh Thakur, Transport Commissioner, Government of Odisha, said, “By employing scientific methods such as Scientific Crash Investigation using Root Cause Analysis Matrix or Human factors-based Road Safety Audits. These programs will empower our officers with advanced skills for formulating hypothesis for better investigations and audits. This structured approach will enable us to implement evidence-based safety measures, ultimately helping us save lives and make our roads safer for everyone. In addition, IIT Madras is also helping us in strategizing for public awareness campaign to create a discourse on road safety and to sensitize road users through targeted campaigns.”
As part of the Strategic IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) campaign, the RBG Labs will be working on capacity building for Investigating Officers (IOs) of the Odisha Police in Scientific Crash Investigation using the ‘Root Cause Analysis Matrix’ (RCAM) method that was developed at RBG Labs.
The programme seeks to impart design thinking skills to the investigation officer (IO) to adopt a human factors or empathy-based approach in identifying the root causes of an accident.
RBG Labs has conducted a holistic human factors-based road safety audit in collaboration with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) where over 1000 km of National Highway stretch was audited.
A series of Master Trainer Workshops is planned where the future road users (students) and teachers from schools across the State will be trained on being a responsible driver through activity-based learning (ABL) such as games, skits, puzzles and more. The individuals trained through this programme will function as master trainers to train others in their respective schools.
The key objectives of this programme include:
Ø Capacity Building programs across all road safety stakeholders towards using various tools for performing targeted data-driven interventions.
Ø Design thinking approach for problem solving and understanding various human factor issues leading to road crashes and implementation of targeted interventions.
Ø A comprehensive IEC program to create a culture of road safety and sensitizing road users at all age groups.
Speaking about this initiative, Prof. V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, “Disaster Management is something very high in the agenda for our Country. Road safety is an urgent and critical challenge that directly impacts the well-being of our citizens and the socio-economic development of the country. At IIT Madras, we have been relentlessly working on innovative, technology-driven solutions to address the complexities of road safety. From identifying accident hotspots and developing advanced crash investigation tools to designing efficient emergency response systems, our efforts have consistently aimed at saving lives and preventing injuries. Successful implementation of these schemes have happened in many states, including the State of Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Rajasthan. IIT Madras is committed to this vision and looks forward to working with Government of Odisha to turn this aspiration vision into reality.”
Elaborating on this programme, Prof. Venkatesh Balasubramanian, Head, RBG Labs and CoERS, Department of Engineering Design, IIT Madras, who is coordinating this initiative, said, “Roads are a shared asset which requires a multi-disciplinary approach for planning interventions. RBG Labs is eager to collaborate with the stakeholders in Odisha in their journey to safe roads. We are deeply committed to leveraging our expertise in design thinking and human factors to provide a scientific framework for solving problem. The capacity building programs will equip various stakeholders in the State with the practical skills required for on-field data collection, collation, and analysis to communicate their hypothesis effectively and strategize actionable interventions. Reducing road fatalities is essential for India’s growth, and we see this partnership as a step toward safer roads for all.”
