In a decisive move to tackle the state's alarming road accident statistics, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has issued strict directives for the upcoming 'Road Safety Month' in January. Chairing a high-level review meeting in Lucknow on Saturday, the CM mandated that the campaign must be executed on the comprehensive 4E model—Education, Enforcement, Engineering, and Emergency Care—with equal and coordinated emphasis on all four pillars.
Beyond a Formality: A People-Centric Movement
Chief Minister Adityanath made it unequivocally clear that the road safety initiative must not be reduced to a mere bureaucratic exercise. He stressed that it needs to evolve into a widespread, people-centric movement that connects directly to the life and security of every citizen. Merely informing the public about traffic rules is insufficient, he noted. The core objective must be to make people internalise that following these rules is intrinsically linked to their own survival, the well-being of their families, and the safety of society at large.
The Four Pillars of the 4E Strategy
The CM elaborated on the critical role of each component of the 4E framework. Education must focus on instilling correct road behaviour in children, youth, and all citizens from an early age. Enforcement must ensure strict and unwavering compliance with traffic laws. Engineering efforts need to proactively identify and rectify black spots and other critical points on the road network. Lastly, Emergency Care systems must guarantee a prompt ambulance response and high-quality trauma treatment to save lives in the golden hour.
Yogi Adityanath emphasised that a real reduction in road accidents is impossible without balanced and simultaneous action on all four fronts. He warned against any approach that prioritises one element while neglecting the others.
Confronting the Alarming Data
The urgency of the directive was underscored by stark departmental data presented during the meeting. The figures revealed that 46,223 road accidents were recorded in Uttar Pradesh until November 2025, leading to a devastating 24,776 fatalities. The Chief Minister described these numbers as extremely alarming, framing road accidents not just as an administrative or technical issue, but as a major social challenge.
He poignantly added that even a single death on the road causes lifelong pain and trauma to an entire family. Preventing such tragedies, he asserted, requires a combination of public sensitivity and the administration's willingness to take tough, necessary decisions.
Driving Mass Participation and Awareness
To ensure the campaign reaches every corner of the state and achieves mass participation, the Chief Minister issued specific operational orders. He instructed that awareness material be displayed compulsorily at every tehsil, block, district, and major headquarters. Furthermore, he directed officials to use real-life accident case studies in their outreach to powerfully demonstrate how a moment's negligence can irrevocably alter the course of a life.
For grassroots mobilization, CM Adityanath called for the active involvement of several organizations, including the National Service Scheme (NSS), National Cadet Corps (NCC), Disaster Mitras, Scouts & Guides, and Civil Defence volunteers. This broad-based approach aims to embed road safety consciousness deeply within the community fabric.
