Context:

India is at a critical juncture in its mobility transformation. With over 6.3 million km of road network, the second-largest globally, the nation faces a paradox: rapid urbanisation and vehicle growth have brought both economic momentum and a rising toll of road fatalities. In 2022, India recorded 1.68 lakh road deaths, translating to 12.2 deaths per 1 lakh population—substantially higher than countries like Japan (2.5) and the UK (2.6). These crashes cost India 3% of its GDP annually, eroding human capital and stalling development.

Road Safety as a Fundamental Right

The right to safe mobility stems from Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to life. This makes road safety not merely a technical issue but a public good and a human right. With India’s urban population expected to reach 50% by 2047, ensuring the safety of all road users—particularly pedestrians, cyclists, elderly, and children—is essential for inclusive development.

Key Challenges in India’s Road Safety Landscape

• Human Error: About 78% of crashes are due to driver fault—overspeeding, drunk driving, and poor lane discipline.
• Infrastructure Gaps: Over 5,000 black spots, inadequate pedestrian zones, and unscientific road designs persist across urban and rural areas.
• Weak Enforcement: Despite the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, enforcement is inconsistent, and deterrence is weak.
• Emergency Care Deficits: Rural areas suffer from delayed trauma response, poor ambulance coverage, and lack of cashless care.
• Fragmented Governance: Overlapping responsibilities between Centre and States lead to diluted accountability and suboptimal implementation.

Government Response: The Four Es Framework

• Engineering: Mandatory safety audits, black spot rectification, e-DAR digital accident recording, and vehicle safety mandates (airbags, ABS, Bharat NCAP ratings).
• Enforcement: e-Challans, CCTV-based monitoring, automated vehicle fitness testing, and stricter penalties under the MV Act.
• Education: Road Safety Advocacy Scheme, National Road Safety Month, driver training centres in every district.
• Emergency Care: Good Samaritan protections, ambulances with paramedics at toll plazas, and pilot cashless treatment schemes.

Strategic Roadmap:

• Safe System Approach: Design roads that are forgiving of human error—wider footpaths, dedicated cycling lanes, pedestrian islands, and speed calming measures.
• National Road Safety Authority: A unified central body to integrate policy, funding, and enforcement between Centre and States.
• Innovative Financing: Mandate auto manufacturers to channel CSR funds into road safety initiatives for 20–25 years, supporting infrastructure, trauma care, and R&D.
• Data-Driven Policies: Strengthen digital accident databases to enable evidence-based decision-making and real-time response.
• Capital Investment: Adopt the World Bank’s recommendation of $109 billion investment over a decade to halve road deaths by 2030.

Conclusion

Road safety is not an adjunct concern—it is integral to India’s Vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. Reducing road fatalities is essential for economic productivity, public health, and constitutional morality. A coordinated, inclusive, and adequately financed national strategy can transform India’s roads from death traps into pathways of safe, equitable mobility.