India plans to use 3D paintings as virtual speed-breakers to make its roads safer

The Indian government may use 3D paintings as virtual speed-breakers on major highways and roads, in a bid to check speeding and rash driving, and ultimately make its deadly roads a little safer.

"We are trying out 3D paintings used as virtual speed breakers to avoid unnecessary requirements of speed breakers," India's transport minister Nitin Gadkari tweeted today.

The optical illusions are supposed to encourage drivers to slow down automatically. Earlier this month, India had ordered the removal of all speed breakers from highways, which are considered to be a safety hazard for high-speed vehicles.

India has the highest number of road accident deaths in the world. According to the World Health Organisation, over 200,00 people are killed by road accidents due to poor implementation of road safety laws. This is considerably higher than its official figures of 141,526 for 2014.

The use of optical illusions as speed breakers was first pioneered in the American city of Philadelphia in 2008, as part of a campaign against speeding motorists. However, critics argue that once drivers know that these speed breakers are visual illusions, they may ignore them. In the end, India's new policy may be just one step in improving road safety.