In a powerful collective appeal for road safety, hundreds of citizens took to the streets of Bengaluru with a clear, life-saving message for every motorist: when you hear an ambulance siren, move to the left, indicate your intention, and keep the right lane clear.
Rakshak Rally: A March for Predictable Emergency Pathways
This urgent plea was the driving force behind the Rakshak Rally, a walkathon held in the city on Saturday. The event saw participation from around 300 people, predominantly students, who walked along Hosur Road starting from The Oxford College of Engineering near the Silk Board junction. The rally was organised by the Rotary Club of Bengaluru HSR in collaboration with RKSH Impact, and received support from the Bengaluru Traffic Police.
Carrying placards and chanting slogans like "Leave Right Lane for Ambulance", the participants highlighted a critical gap in current road behaviour. Organisers explained that while most drivers intend to give way to emergency vehicles, the lack of a standardised practice creates confusion. Vehicles often scatter in unpredictable directions, forcing ambulances to navigate a dangerous zig-zag path and lose invaluable minutes.
The High Cost of Traffic Chaos for Emergency Care
The situation in Bengaluru's notorious traffic is particularly dire. During peak hours, an ambulance can take 30 to 40 minutes to travel a mere five kilometres, severely jeopardising patient survival rates. In the absence of dedicated emergency lanes, public cooperation is not just helpful—it is essential.
Organisers of the rally emphasised that a simple, unified behavioural shift could have a monumental impact. If all motorists consistently moved left and kept the right lane free, it could potentially double or even triple ambulance speeds during critical moments, achieving this without any new infrastructure investment.
A National Imperative: Saving Lives with Minutes
The rally's message resonates with a grim national statistic: India records close to two lakh (200,000) road accident deaths every year. Studies indicate that more than 30% of these lives could be saved if medical response time is reduced by just 10 to 15 minutes.
"Saving lives doesn't always require big reforms or investments," noted an organiser. "Sometimes, it begins with a simple, collective decision to act responsibly. The message is straightforward—move left, indicate, and keep the right lane clear. This uniformity can save lives." The Rakshak Rally stands as a civic call to action, reminding Bengaluru that in the race against time, every driver holds the power to be a lifesaver.
