Editorial: India’s roads, a death trap

While India has the second-largest road network in the world, after the United States, it also records the highest number of road accident deaths globally

The death of promising Punjabi actor and singer Rajvir Jawanda, at a young age of 35, in a horrific road accident, is a grim reminder of how the pathetic condition of Indian roads has turned them into virtual killing fields. He succumbed to serious injuries after his bike skidded on a road in Himachal Pradesh. The popular singer’s death has reignited public anguish over India’s dismal road-safety record. Incidentally, this concern was echoed by the Supreme Court, which has directed all States and Union Territories to frame comprehensive road-safety rules within six months. India has earned the dubious distinction of being the road accident capital of the world, reporting more than 20 deaths every hour, most of the victims being young adults. On one hand, India has the second-largest road network in the world, after the United States, but on the other, it has been recording the highest number of road accident deaths in the world, accounting for nearly 13 per cent of the total fatalities. The causes are familiar but often ignored: poor enforcement, badly maintained highways, reckless driving, and the indifference of both motorists and authorities. Helmets and seat belts help, but they cannot offset the risks created by potholes, overspeeding, and the absence of emergency care. Despite the existence of a National Road Safety Policy since 2010 and the amended Motor Vehicles Act of 2019, enforcement remains patchy and ineffective. Several States have failed to set up dedicated road-safety authorities or pedestrian protection rules.

Rajvir’s untimely death should not be allowed to become yet another cold statistic. Mere tributes to the late singer are not enough. Such tragedies must serve as a wake-up call for the authorities to ensure that road safety rules are swiftly framed, implemented, and enforced in letter and spirit. In 2023, over 1.8 lakh people died in over 4.80 lakh road mishaps across the country — a staggering average of 500 lives snuffed out every day. What is more disturbing is that nearly two-thirds of the victims were aged between 18 and 45 — the most active segment of society and often the breadwinners for their households. While national highways constitute only about 2 per cent of India’s total road network length, they account for over 30 per cent of all road accident deaths nationwide. This highlights the intense traffic volumes, higher speeds, and potentially complex safety challenges inherent to these major corridors. The Union government has set an ambitious target to halve road accident deaths and injuries by 2030. Unless the multiple challenges to road safety are addressed, this target may remain elusive. Despite the efforts of successive governments and investments, India’s roads remain among the most unsafe in the world. Experts say this is a crisis rooted not just in infrastructure, but in human behaviour, enforcement gaps, and systemic neglect. Road accidents impose a significant economic burden, costing the country 3 per cent of its annual GDP.

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