Road Safety Push: Government Rolls Out Comprehensive Measures Amid Rising Accidents

In a bid to tackle the alarming rise in road accidents, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has unveiled an extensive strategy aimed at enhancing road safety across India. According to the ministry’s annual “Road Accidents in India” report, the country witnessed a significant fluctuation in road accidents from 2018 to 2022. The report details the following figures: 4,70,403 accidents in 2018, 4,56,959 accidents in 2019, 3,72,181 accidents in 2020, 4,12,432 accidents in 2021, and 4,61,312 accidents in 2022. Despite a temporary decline during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the numbers have surged again, underscoring the urgent need for robust safety measures.

The Ministry has developed a four-pronged strategy focusing on Education, Engineering, Enforcement, and Emergency Care to address road safety comprehensively.

Education: The Ministry administers the Road Safety Advocacy Scheme to provide financial assistance to various agencies for raising awareness about road safety and for administering road safety programs. It also observes National Road Safety Month/Week every year to spread awareness and strengthen road safety. Furthermore, the Ministry administers a scheme for setting up Institutes of Driving Training & Research (IDTRs), Regional Driving Training Centres (RDTCs), and Driving Training Centres (DTCs) at the state/district level across the country.

Engineering: In terms of road engineering, the Ministry has mandated Road Safety Audits (RSA) of all National Highways through third-party auditors at all stages, including design, construction, operation, and maintenance. High priority is given to identifying and rectifying black spots/accident spots on National Highways. A Road Safety Officer (RSO) has been designated at each Regional Office of road-owning agencies under the Ministry to oversee RSA and other road safety-related works. Each RSO is required to submit a roadworthiness certificate for National Highways under their jurisdiction biannually. The Ministry also administers the electronic Detailed Accident Report (e-DAR) Project to establish a central repository for reporting, managing, and analyzing road accident data across the country. Guidelines for signages on Expressways and National Highways have been issued to offer improved visibility and intuitive guidance to drivers. Additionally, the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, includes provisions for compliance with road design, construction, and maintenance standards as prescribed by the Central Government.

In vehicle engineering, the Ministry has taken various initiatives to enhance vehicle safety. These include the mandatory provision of an airbag for the front passenger seat, safety measures for children under four years of age riding or being carried on a motorcycle, and mandatory fitment of safety technologies such as Seat Belt Reminder (SBR) for driver and co-driver, Manual Override for the central locking system, Over Speed Warning System for M1 category vehicles, Reverse Parking Alert System for all M and N category vehicles, and Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) for certain classes of L, M, and N category vehicles. The Ministry has also mandated speed limiting devices in all transport vehicles, except for certain exempted categories. Rules have been published for the recognition, regulation, and control of Automated Testing Stations for vehicle fitness testing and certification. The Vehicle Scrapping Policy has been formulated to phase out old, unfit, and polluting vehicles. Additionally, a scheme has been set up to establish one model Inspection & Certification Centre in each State/UT for automated vehicle fitness testing. The Bharat New Car Assessment Program (BNCAP) has been introduced to provide safety ratings for passenger cars, empowering consumers to make informed decisions. Rules have also been published to establish a level playing field in bus manufacturing by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and Bus Body Builders. By October 2025, vehicles in the N2 and N3 categories must be equipped with air-conditioning systems for the driver’s cabin.

Enforcement: The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, implemented strict penalties to ensure compliance and enhance deterrence against traffic rule violations, with enforcement strengthened through technology. Rules have been issued for Electronic Monitoring and Enforcement of Road Safety, specifying provisions for placing electronic enforcement devices on high-risk and high-density corridors on National Highways, State Highways, and critical junctions in Million-plus cities and cities under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). On June 10, 2024, the Ministry issued an advisory to all States and Union territories on technological interventions for ensuring compliance with the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988.

Emergency Care: For emergency care, the Ministry has implemented measures to protect Good Samaritans who voluntarily provide emergency medical or non-medical care at accident scenes or transport victims to hospitals. Compensation for victims of Hit and Run motor accidents has been significantly increased, from Rs. 12,500 to Rs. 50,000 for grievous hurt and from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 2,00,000 for death. The National Highways Authority of India has made provisions for ambulances with paramedical staff at toll plazas on completed corridors of National Highways. In collaboration with the National Health Authority (NHA), the Ministry has implemented a pilot program for providing cashless treatment to road accident victims in Chandigarh and Assam.

This comprehensive approach was detailed by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha today, highlighting the government’s commitment to enhancing road safety and reducing accidents across the country.

As per the report, the total number of road accidents, fatalities and persons injured in the country from calendar year 2018 to 2022 is given in the table below –

Based on the data received from Police Department of States/ UTs, total number of road accidents and fatalities on National Highways (including Expressways) in the country for the calendar year 2022 is given below –

• Includes data of Daman & Diu for the Year 2020 to 2022.
• $ Includes data of Ladakh for the Year 2018 to 2020.

• Includes data of Daman & Diu for the Year 2020 to 2022.
• $ Includes data of Ladakh for the Year 2018 to 2020.

$ Includes data of Ladakh for the Year 2018 to 2020.

Includes data of Daman & Diu for the Year 2020 to 2022.