India must build safer roads, enforce laws with tech, reform licensing

We needs to build safer road networks. Stricter enforcement of road laws is essential, supported by technology such as automated surveillance, e-challaning, speed-detection cameras & AI-based tracking

As a recent analysis by this newspaper of the latest data showed, deaths in India due to road accidents, adjusted for population, reached a 30-year high of 12.02 per 100,000 people in 2023, higher than in Nepal (7.4), China (4.26), and Brazil (2.66). Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has emphasised the need for better road design and safety enforcement, noting that over 400 people die every day on Indian roads. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data for 2023 states that more than 173,000 people lost their lives and 447,000 were injured in road accidents across India, with two-wheeler riders accounting for nearly 46 per cent of the fatalities. The leading causes remain speeding and careless driving, indicating that strict enforcement of traffic regulations and behavioural change remain weak links in India’s transport system. 

In this regard, it is worth noting that the budget allocation for road safety and maintenance remains low. For 2025-26, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has allotted ₹595 crore for road safety, which is 0.002 per cent of the budget of the ministry. Road maintenance and repair get a mere ₹4,595 crore, barely 2 per cent of the total, far below the 10 per cent norm suggested by the NITI Aayog. This underfunding has risked degraded roads and, by extension, resulted in rising fatalities. Experts highlight that mixed traffic, inadequate pedestrian infrastructure, and poor emergency response exacerbate fatality rates. Cars, trucks, bicycles, two-wheelers, and pedestrians share the same lanes, often without proper demarcation or speed-calming measures. The absence of pedestrian infrastructure, such as safe crossings and footpaths, means that the most vulnerable road users are at constant risk. Moreover, emergency response remains inconsistent, with trauma-care facilities often too distant or ill equipped to save lives within the critical “golden hour” after an accident. 

India needs to build safer highways and road networks. Stricter enforcement of road laws is essential, supported by technology such as automated surveillance, e-challaning, speed-detection cameras, and artificial intelligence-based violation tracking. These tools can ensure compliance while reducing discretionary enforcement. Every highway project should be integrated with mandatory road-safety audits during both design and post-construction stages. Accident-prone stretches or “dark spots” need targeted engineering intervention such as better signage, lane separation, and surface improvement. Equally important is reform in driver licensing, and it should be examined on the knowledge and execution of safe driving rather than a skill test. Regular vehicle inspection, particularly for commercial vehicles, must be made mandatory to ensure fitness and emission compliance. Further, robust trauma-care networks must be inbuilt in the overall framework. To be sure, a lot needs to be done at state and local levels. Ensuring safer roads is the responsibility not just of the government but also of every driver and pedestrian. The cost of haste on the road is often a life lost. No journey or deadline is worth that price. Without this realignment towards safety, India’s mobility gains will keep coming at an unacceptable human cost.