Lucknow: Ashutosh Soti, a resident of Lucknow, who tragically lost his son in a road accident 12 years ago, has dedicated his life to promoting road safety. Since 2010, he has been organizing road safety programs on 5 January every year. He shares that he lost his son, Shubham Soti, in a road accident on 15 July 2020. Overcoming the grief, he established the Shubham Soti Foundation in memory of his son, with a mission to spread awareness about road safety. 

A yearly campaign

Ashutosh Soti shares that 5 January holds significance as it marks the birth anniversary of his late son, Shubham. As part of the initiative, this year, bicycles, e-rickshaws, trolleys, and vehicles lacking proper back lights will be prohibited for a week. His organization is working to install retro reflector strips on these vehicles to enhance visibility during dense fog, which will help prevent road accidents. 

A harsh reality

Ashutosh Soti, the director of Wellson Medicity, mentions a fact which is not unfamiliar to anyone. During road accidents, instead of rushing the victims to the hospital, onlookers often start filming the accident scene. He narrates an incident involving a boy named Rishabh, who was hit by a vehicle coming from the wrong direction. Despite many onlookers present at the scene, his hospitalization was delayed. A courageous girl took him to the hospital, but unfortunately, his life could not be saved. The matter is concerning, and people must realize the crucial need to provide immediate treatment to the injured. 

Spreading awareness

Ashutosh Soti shares that when he initiated his mission in 2010, people did not understand the need for it. However, over the years, there has been a noticeable change, with both government and private institutions becoming more aware. He is also associated with various road safety organizations of foreign countries. 

Statistics

According to Ashutosh, approximately 550 deaths occurred near schools in cities like Lucknow, Prayagraj, Varanasi, and Kanpur in 2022. The accidents involve children falling victims to reckless driving. Ashutosh shares that there is a need to focus on establishing safe school zones and addressing various related issues. 

A ground level work

Ashutosh believes that despite all the road safety programs, people are contributing their part. While road safety is a component of various government departments such as Transport, Police, NHAI, Public Works Department, he is of the opinion that a dedicated committee focused solely on road safety must be formed. The committee must look into every accident case so that further accidents can be prevented.