Description
A fully empowered National Road Safety Authority, as proposed in the 2014 Draft Road Transport and Safety Bill, to maintain standards, conduct audits, ensure compliance, and bridge central and state efforts, may well be the solution for India’s rising number of road accidents. The authority could penalise non-compliant agencies and contractors, thereby fostering accountability. This is one of several suggestions made in a road safety study by The Infravision Foundation and IIT Delhi’s Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Centre.
India’s expanding highway network boosts the economy but also destroys lives. While these arterial and trunk roads expand, they are increasingly becoming corridors of death, claiming thousands of lives each year. Experts and policymakers are calling for a radical shift in the approach to safety. As Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said recently, more people have lost their lives in road crashes than in wars, militancy, and Naxalism combined. He has called it a governmental failure, a “dark issue” for his ministry, and symptomatic of a society lacking both “fear and respect for the law.”
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) reports that in 2022 alone, India witnessed 4,61,312 road accidents that resulted in 1,68,491 deaths and 4.43,366 injuries — an increase of 11.9 per cent in accidents, 9.4 per cent in fatalities, and 15.3 per cent in injuries, compared to the previous year. National highways claim the highest toll: 45 deaths annually per 100 km. Fatalities due to road traffic crashes rank as the sixth leading cause of death among the working-age population (15-49 years). The ministry has estimated the socio-economic impact of road accidents at 3.5 per cent to 5 per cent of national gross domestic product.
The challenges of road safety are multifaceted, including infrastructure deficiencies, driver behaviour and enforcement challenges. Inadequate road design, poor lighting, and lack of pedestrian crossings contribute to accidents. Driver negligence, such as speeding and ignoring traffic signals, further exacerbates the problem. Black spots — dangerous stretches of highways where accidents frequently occur — are a significant concern, with over 5,800 identified across the national highways, particularly concentrated in states like Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Telangana. Despite the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) spending Rs 15,702.80 crore on repairs and improvements over the past five financial years, new black spots continue to emerge each year. In a recent speech, Mr Gadkari admitted that the number of black spots is rising due to poor detailed project reports (DPRs) for road projects.
While India’s road safety record continues to deteriorate, other countries in the Indo-Pacific region, such as Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka, have successfully reduced road traffic fatalities despite rising motorisation. Traffic deaths were increasing in all countries prior to 1960, but most high-income nations experienced a decline due to a shift in scientific understanding. The Swedish parliament fundamentally redefined global responses to road safety by introducing the “Vision Zero” approach in 1997, which posits that no loss of life is acceptable within the road transport system and that safety must take precedence over mobility. All components of the transport system — road infrastructure, vehicle design, trauma centres, institutions and legislation — must work cohesively to prevent fatal accidents, with other parts acting as safeguards if one fails.
The Infravision Foundation-IIT Delhi study suggests that India must align with global best practices to make its highways safer. Road-owning and operating agencies, primarily the NHAI and state public works departments (PWDs), have a crucial role and bear responsibility for ensuring highway safety. These agencies must incorporate safety audits at the design stage of highway projects, as mandated by NHAI’s Standard EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) Agreement, which requires the appointment of a safety consultant whose recommendations must be integrated into the highway design, with engineers and contractors held professionally liable for compliance.
A multifaceted approach is necessary, combining institutional reforms, technological advancements, and comprehensive policy measures. In the short term, MoRTH must undertake comprehensive analyses to understand, for example, why and how public funds are being used to build highways that do not meet all Indian Roads Congress (IRC) standards. It is crucial and time-sensitive to identify and rectify gaps in contract documents that address safety compliance and liability.
In the medium term, MoRTH should spearhead the development of new standards in areas where IRC or global standards are currently lacking. It should also mandate the establishment of safety sections or cells within all road-owning agencies and state PWDs. These units should be staffed with permanently appointed and trained safety officers and consultants, ensuring that safety remains a top priority at every stage of highway development.
Technological solutions play a crucial role in this endeavour. MoRTH has initiated a programme for black spot identification and rectification since 2015. The recent implementation of the Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) on National Highways, mandated by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, includes electronic monitoring devices like speed cameras and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems. These advancements align with Mr Gadkari’s commitment to reducing road accident deaths by 50 per cent by 2030, focusing on the “4Es” of road safety: Engineering, Enforcement, Education, and Emergency medical services. While a lot is happening in education and emergency services, the first two Es must also receive due attention.
As India continues its journey towards Viksit Bharat, ensuring the safety of its citizens on its highways is paramount. Adopting a holistic approach that combines global best practices, technological innovation, and a robust institutional framework, can transform its highways from deadly corridors into safe arteries of progress.
