Modernising rickshaws for safety on roads

The unchanged features of a cycle-rickshaw have been still persisting probably since its first inception. Primarily, it has now become a matter of serious safety concern under the current road traffic environment. The secondary issues like passengers' comfort and convenience and rickshaw pullers' plight should be addressed to render it rider-friendly as well as muscle-power energy efficient mode. The best approach for safety under these circumstances is keeping vigilance all around. But the deficiencies in the adequate safety components have worsened the situation to a grave extent.
The designing features of a rickshaw should be changed/modified as the following:
(1) The rickshaw puller must see the rear side. Accordingly, side mirrors should essentially be included as hitting from behind is one of the reasons for road toll mishaps for rickshaws. Accordingly, hitting from behind indicates that rickshaw-pullers could not see the most dangerous situation at the rear side of their vehicles for not having side mirrors,
(2) There should be light weight (e.g. using aluminium plate) enclosures to prevent passengers' fall. Moreover, the enclosure itself could hurt passenger/s should the occupants be violently thrown against enclosure after being hit from rear. Therefore, they should be covered with safety cushions. If this feature would have been previously added, then deaths under the wheels after falling off on the road could probably have been avoided in many cases,
(3) Without increasing the total weight as far as possible, thin plate steel body should be included. This would also release more seating space inside while total width and length should remain unaltered,
(4) Use of visibility enhancement materials (VEMs) is essential. Moreover, use of reflective materials has been recommended,
(5) Incorporation of front and rear indicator lights as well as headlight and taillight and brake-light is needed if possible,
(6) Bells or other audible signaling devices must be included,
(7) For passengers' comfort, boarding height of the rickshaws should be made much lower especially for facilitating the boarding of elderly and handicapped people,
(8) There should be more flattening slope of foot-rests,
(9) There should be permanent hoods made with thin steel plate structure for fragility resistance to be covered with rubber cloth,
(10) There is no suspension system. Therefore, jerking is endured by passengers; therefore, for passengers' comfort, suspension by leaf spring is recommended for stability and comfort. If other type/s is more effective, that might also be fitted,
(11) Rain water-proof design is extremely necessary,
(12) There should be cozy seating cushion,
(13) More effective braking systems should be incorporated,
(14) Dislodgement of roller (rickshaw) chain from sprocket or crank-arm needs to be prevented as far as practicable for safety reason,
(15) The introduction of speed changing gear system should be very carefully weighed because higher speed of rickshaws would definitely undermine its safety,
(16) Roller chain should be made more energy efficient. For example, a larger sprocket will give a more efficient drive and higher chain tension is found to be more efficient,
(17) It should be made more aerodynamically designed mode to reduce air drag for lessening the exertions being experienced by the puller,
(18) Rickshaw-pullers should have light weight protection structure so that they should not be left directly exposed to other kinds of traffic,
(19) Rickshaw-pullers should have overhead shade at least for protection against sun burns.
More advanced and applicable features might be necessary for achieving better safety and comfort and converting it to be more energy-efficient mode. Though incorporation of such features would make rickshaws more costly, its inclusion is necessary. Moreover, some features are immediately necessary for safety reason, for example, side mirrors.
If the above-mentioned features are added, then it would not be possible for a stranger to take up rickshaw-pulling job as he wishes.  In that case, minimum knowledge on road rule is necessary to handle the modernised mode which is very important issue for safe riding of rickshaws.
It is quite evident that present manufacturers of rickshaws are not capable of handling all the technical issues. Therefore, involvement or cooperation of technically capable enterprises is necessary, such as bicycle manufacturing enterprises might be requested to render their help in this regard. Moreover, the need for establishment of 'effective' transport research institution is crucial as well. Therefore, the government may take necessary measures to modernise rickshaws and thereby put a step forward towards overall improvement of the road safety standard in the country.
The writer is a traffic-cum-road safety engineer.           
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