More than ever, there is an urgent need for ensuring road safety of travellers and accountability of drivers. Road accidents in India kill more people every year than any war or disease does. Nearly 5 lakh road accidents happen annually, resulting in 1.8 lakh fatalities. Also, 66% of the deceased are young people. Road accidents in India are caused by various reasons, but the most fundamental one is that many of them are simply not obeying traffic rules.
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, stated on 10 August that “no war or disease claims as many lives as India's roads do each year”. He added that in 2025 alone, 54,132 people lost their lives simply because they were not wearing helmets, while two-wheeler riders account for 45% of all road fatalities. "Every hour, 21 people die on our roads. Such a scale of death is not seen even in disease or war," Gadkari revealed. Therefore, road safety is no longer just a traffic management issue; it has become a serious public safety and human rights concern.
Every day, countless people take to the roads with the hope of reaching their destinations safely. Unfortunately, for many families, an ordinary journey ends in an unimaginable tragedy because of reckless driving, negligence, overspeeding, dangerous overtaking and the irresponsible behaviour of motorists.
Behind every road accident is a painful human story. A father who never returns home, a mother whose children wait endlessly, a young person whose dreams are suddenly shattered, or an entire family left struggling with an irreversible loss.
What makes these tragedies even more painful is that victims and their families often face a long and exhausting struggle for justice. Investigations, legal proceedings and compensation can take years, while those responsible may not always face consequences proportionate to the seriousness of their actions.
It is time to ask a fundamental question: Are we issuing driving licences to responsible citizens, or simply giving people permission to operate potentially dangerous machines. In other words, license to kill. A driving licence should represent more than the ability to control a vehicle. It should demonstrate discipline, responsibility, awareness of traffic laws and respect for human life.
The existing approach to issuing and renewing driving licences needs serious reconsideration. Driving tests must be more rigorous, road safety education must be enhanced, and repeated traffic violations should have serious consequences including suspension of the license in addition to penalties. Periodic checks on traffic inspectors also are necessary as there is strong suspicion of bribing them across the country. Drivers who demonstrate dangerous and irresponsible behaviour must be subject to strict monitoring leading to short imprisonment following a due process.
It is in order to mention that in countries like Britain, the traffic rules are more seriously implemented and respected than any other country. There is sensitivity for pedestrians who cross the roads. There are Zebra Crossings for pedestrians without any traffic light where the motorists patiently wait for them to pass. Traffic violations lead to even imprisonment and Members of Parliament or other so-called VIPs have no exception. Ironically, India has inherited the traffic culture from Britain. That is why we have left-hand drive whereas in the rest of the West, it is right hand.
We also need stronger enforcement of speed limits, effective surveillance systems, strict action against drunk driving, better road infrastructure and faster investigation of fatal accidents. Most important, road accident cases involving death or serious injury must receive priority in the justice system. Victims' families should not have to spend years fighting for basic justice and rightful compensation.
Governments must recognise that road safety is not merely about imposing fines or installing traffic cameras. It is about protecting the most precious thing a human being possesses: that is life. It is equally important for citizens to understand that road discipline is a shared responsibility. A few minutes saved through reckless driving can destroy an entire family's future. It also calls for a sense of respect for fellow-drivers. Such mutual sensitivity and respect while driving on the road will save a lot of accidents.
A vehicle can be replaced. A licence can be suspended. A fine can be paid. But a human life can never be brought back. The time has come for governments, transport authorities, law enforcement agencies and society to work together towards comprehensive reforms in vehicle and road safety laws. Let us stop treating road fatalities as routine news headlines. Every preventable death is a reminder that our systems, enforcement and collective responsibility need to improve.
Roads are meant to facilitate living and lives, not destroy them. A responsible driver protects lives. A responsible government ensures accountability. And a responsible society never remains silent when innocent lives are lost.

Email:-------------------------dr.dkgiri@gmail.com