More than 500,000 road accidents take place across India annually, killing 150,000 people every year, according to the government statistics. However, the World Health Organisation pinned the death toll due to poor road safety measures at 200,000 in 2014.
The latest measure is directed at cracking down on dangerous driving as the government aims to decrease road accidents by half.
The 3D painting technique has been implemented in several places including Australia, Europe, the US and New Zealand.
"We are trying out 3D paintings used as virtual speed breakers to avoid unnecessary requirements of speed breakers," Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari announced on Twitter.
We are trying out 3D paintings used as virtual speed breakers to avoid unnecessary requirements of speed breakers pic.twitter.com/M5r6zkO6uU
— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) April 26, 2016
Earlier in April, the transport ministry ordered the removal all highway speed-bumps as they were considered hazardous for vehicles driving at top speeds. The move was initiated after the Road Accident Report for 2014 suggested more than 11,000 lives were claimed by road accidents involving either speed-bumps or potholes.
India is ranked as one of the most dangerous places in the world to drive due to its poor roads and bad driver safety.
Public reaction to the governments planned was mixed on social media.
@nitin_gadkari Sirji, once the driver knows it is virtual and only a painting, do you think the driver will even bother to slow down..?
— Arshad Jamal (@Arshu00) April 26, 2016
@nitin_gadkari anything unusual can impact the driver mind differently, this can lead to high accidents..Pl take advice of experts on this
— Teamkejriwal.com (@Teamkejriwal) April 26, 2016
@nitin_gadkari good but it should vary locations so that 1 shouldnt get used to…
— Ritesh Jain ツ (@raetish_jain) April 26, 2016
@nitin_gadkari it might cause more accidents! Do you think truck and other heavy vehical drivers are educated enough in India to know this?
— Alok (@dch4alok) April 26, 2016
