Mishaps mount, but blood group still missing in T driving licences
Hyderabad: Telangana records over 25,000 road accidents resulting in 7,000 (approx) deaths every year, but licences in the state continue to lack one vital piece of information – the driver's blood group, which can be crucial in saving time and lives.
The licence issued in state contains at least 10 to 15 other details including address, date of issue, validity etc., but the missing blood group remains a concern, especially in cases of medical emergencies, say road safety experts. Though the Central Motor Vehicles Rules provide a framework for states to include the blood group in licences, its implementation is optional and currently only Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Goa follow it.
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Experts said that Telangana should also follow in their footsteps as it can save lives where the victim is unconscious after an accident and incapable of telling his blood group. They pointed out how delays in determining blood groups often complicated the treatment process, particularly during the golden hour.
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"This is a very vital information and the Road Transport Authority (RTA) must enforce its mandatory inclusion in driving licences. At present, agents often process applications without obtaining this detail. This practice needs to be corrected to improve the effectiveness of emergency responses," said Vinod Kanumala, an expert from India Federation of Road Safety.
He said that compulsory inclusion of blood group details in driving licences could be crucial in saving precious 30 minutes during accidents. Every year at least 1,000 fatalities occur due to severe head injuries leading to heavy blood loss, he said.
"When accident victims are transported in ambulance, the medical team can quickly identify the blood group from their licence, enabling them to alert hospitals in advance for necessary blood transfusion," he said.
Incidentally, in 2018, the then governor of Telangana ESL Narasimhan too had urged RTA to make the blood group information mandatory for driving licences when he had gone to renew his licence.
"This is a clear case of negligence by RTA. When applying for a licence renewal or a new driving licence for those who have crossed 40, applicants must submit a medical certificate in Form 1(A) that includes their blood group. Despite this requirement, the RTA has not been updating their system with this vital info. A blood group test costs merely Rs 50, and the RTA should strictly enforce a policy of not issuing a licence without proper documentation of the applicant's blood group," said M Dayanand, general secretary of the Telangana Auto and Motor Welfare Union.
RTA officials maintained that the column is unfilled as it is optional.
"Since the Act does not mandate this requirement, it is omitted. However, we shall examine this issue and ensure that driving licences display this information when applicants provide their blood group particulars," said Chandrashekhar Goud, joint transport commissioner (IT & Vigilance).
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