The road to Viksit Bharat must not be paved with blood

Road safety is not simply a legal obligation — it is a moral duty, a constitutional commitment and a collective national responsibility. Every life saved is not merely a statistic avoided; it is a family protected, a future preserved and a nation made stronger

Every road crash leaves behind more than twisted metal and shattered glass — it leaves grieving parents, orphaned children, unfinished dreams and irreversible loss. Yet, despite technological advancement, stricter laws and expanding highways, road accidents continue to claim hundreds of lives every day. India is not merely facing a transport crisis; it is confronting a public health emergency, a governance challenge and a collective failure of civic responsibility.

The latest Road Accidents in India 2024 Report, released by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), paints a disturbing picture. India witnessed approximately 4.8 lakh road accidents, leading to over 1.77 lakh deaths and more than 4.6 lakh injuries during the year. On average, 485 people lose their lives every day, while nearly 1,300 people are injured daily on Indian roads. These figures place India among the countries with the highest number of road fatalities globally. Overspeeding alone accounted for over 70 per cent of all road deaths, while hit-and-run cases contributed to nearly one-fifth of all fatalities. Non-use of helmets resulted in over 54,000 deaths, whereas failure to wear seat belts caused more than 14,000 fatalities. Nearly 10 per cent of accidents involved drivers without a valid driving licence or holding only a learner’s licence, exposing glaring gaps in enforcement and licensing. These statistics are not merely numbers-they represent human lives that could have been saved through better planning, stricter enforcement and greater public awareness.

The crisis is equally alarming from a global perspective. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 1.19 million people die annually due to road traffic crashes across the world, while 20-50 million people suffer non-fatal injuries, many resulting in permanent disabilities. Road traffic injuries remain the leading cause of death among children and young adults aged 5-29 years. Alarmingly, 92 per cent of global road fatalities occur in low- and middle-income countries, despite these nations possessing only around 60 per cent of the world’s vehicles. More than half of all victims are vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. Recognising this growing challenge, the United Nations declared 2021-2030 as the Second Decade of Action for Road Safety, setting an ambitious target of reducing global road deaths and injuries by 50 per cent before 2030. Achieving this objective demands stronger political commitment, scientific road engineering, efficient emergency response systems and behavioural transformation among road users.

In India, road safety has received increasing legislative attention. The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, significantly enhanced penalties for dangerous driving, drunken driving, juvenile driving, overloading, driving without a licence and violations relating to helmets and seat belts. More recently, the introduction of Section 106(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), has further strengthened accountability in serious hit-and-run cases. The provision prescribes enhanced punishment where a driver, after causing death by negligent driving, escapes the scene without informing the police or other competent authorities. The legislative intent is clear-to discourage offenders from abandoning accident victims and to reinforce the legal duty to report accidents promptly. However, the effectiveness of Section 106(2) should not be measured solely by the severity of punishment. Criminal law is essentially reactive; it intervenes after lives have already been lost. The true success of road safety lies not in convictions but in prevention. Fear of punishment cannot replace disciplined driving, safe infrastructure and effective enforcement.

India has nevertheless undertaken several commendable policy initiatives in recent years. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has accelerated the identification and rectification of accident-prone “black spots”, promoted Intelligent Traffic Management Systems, strengthened vehicle safety standards through mandatory crash tests, encouraged electronic enforcement of traffic violations and implemented the Electronic Detailed Accident Report (e-DAR) for faster insurance settlements and better accident analysis. The Government has also institutionalised Good Samaritan Guidelines, protecting citizens who voluntarily assist accident victims from unnecessary legal harassment, thereby encouraging timely medical intervention during the critical “golden hour”.

Recent policy discussions indicate that repeat traffic offenders may soon be required to undergo fresh driving tests while renewing their licences. Simultaneously, reforms are being considered to enable Motor Accident Claims Tribunals (MACTs) to grant interim compensation to crash victims and their families without waiting for prolonged litigation. These reforms reflect a welcome shift from merely punishing offenders towards protecting victims and improving compliance. Yet, legislation alone cannot overcome decades of unsafe road behaviour. India’s road safety problem is deeply rooted in human conduct. Overspeeding, distracted driving caused by mobile phone usage, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, fatigue among commercial drivers, lane indiscipline, signal jumping and disregard for pedestrian rights continue to account for the overwhelming majority of crashes. Every traffic violation is a conscious choice that endangers not only the driver but every innocent road user.

Infrastructure also requires urgent attention. National Highways constitute only a small proportion of India’s total road network, yet they account for a disproportionately high share of fatalities because of excessive speeds and inadequate safety measures. Many urban roads lack proper footpaths, pedestrian crossings, cycling infrastructure, street lighting, traffic-calming measures and scientifically designed intersections. Rural roads frequently suffer from poor signage, inadequate markings and delayed emergency response services. Road engineering must shift from facilitating faster movement to ensuring safer mobility for all. Road safety is equally an economic issue. Every fatal accident imposes enormous costs through medical expenditure, productivity losses, insurance claims, litigation and long-term social support for affected families. The economic burden runs into billions of rupees annually, making road safety not merely a welfare concern but a developmental necessity. Education and awareness must therefore become central pillars of national policy. Road safety should be introduced as a compulsory component of school and university curricula. Driver training should prioritise defensive driving, hazard perception and emergency response rather than merely passing licensing examinations. Public campaigns should focus on changing attitudes rather than simply enforcing penalties.

Technology also offers immense opportunities. Artificial Intelligence-powered surveillance cameras, automated speed enforcement, connected vehicle technologies, intelligent transport systems, GPS-based emergency response and real-time traffic analytics can significantly reduce accidents when integrated with efficient governance. Data-driven policing must replace sporadic enforcement drives.

Road safety is not the responsibility of the Government alone. It demands shared accountability among authorities, institutions and citizens. India’s aspiration to become a developed nation by 2047 cannot be realised if hundreds continue to die on its roads every day. A nation’s success is measured not merely by its highways but by the safety of those who trave

The Constitution guarantees every citizen the Right to Life under Article 21. That right must not end at a pedestrian crossing, a highway intersection or a village road. Laws like Section 106(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita are important milestones in strengthening accountability, but they must be accompanied by safer infrastructure, evidence-based policymaking, efficient trauma care, responsible driving and a culture that values human life above speed and convenience.

Road safety is not simply a legal obligation-it is a moral duty, a constitutional commitment and a collective national responsibility. Every life saved is not merely a statistic avoided; it is a family protected, a future preserved and a nation made stronger.

Road safety is not the responsibility of the Government alone. It demands shared accountability among legislators, engineers, urban planners, police authorities, hospitals, vehicle manufacturers, insurers, educational institutions and citizens. Every stakeholder has a role in preventing avoidable deaths. India’s aspiration to become a developed nation by 2047 cannot be realised if hundreds of citizens continue to die on its roads every single day

Abhinav Narayan Jha is an advocate and Columnist based in New Delhi. Abhay Kumar is an Assistant Professor of Law at Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh; Views presented are personal.