Centre Unveils National Road Safety Bill Following Surge in Fatal Accidents; Stricter Penalties, Mandatory Audits and National Crash Database Announced

A long-awaited intervention to address a national crisis

India has unveiled one of its most ambitious transport reforms in years with the introduction of the National Road Safety Bill, a response to the alarming rise in fatal road accidents across the country. The proposed legislation seeks to modernize traffic laws, strengthen enforcement mechanisms, push accountability across stakeholders, and bring India closer to global safety standards.

The Bill follows months of alarming data from national and state-level agencies, pointing to an escalating road safety crisis. According to recent government estimates, India recorded over 1.6 lakh road accident deaths last year—equivalent to nearly 460 fatalities per day. The trends are consistent across urban highways, state roads, national highways, rural link roads and high-density transport corridors.

Why the Bill was introduced now

Government officials say the rise in fatal accidents demanded an “immediate, systemic and comprehensive response.” The spike includes:

• increased high-speed collisions on expressways
• frequent multi-vehicle pileups due to fog and poor visibility
• rising cases of drunk driving
• accidents involving overloaded trucks
• bus crashes due to mechanical failure or negligence
• unsafe roads built without proper engineering standards

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways stated that despite previous reforms, key gaps remained in enforcement, infrastructure quality, vehicle safety ratings and driver behaviour.

Key features of the National Road Safety Bill

The new legislation contains several transformative provisions:

1. Mandatory road safety audits

Every national highway, state highway and major district road must undergo periodic safety audits conducted by certified agencies. Failures in design, signage, curvature, lighting or construction will attract penalties for contractors and concessionaires.

2. National Crash Database

For the first time, India will maintain a centralised, real-time crash database integrating data from:

• police FIRs
• hospital records
• forensic reports
• dashcam and CCTV footage
• highway authority inputs

The database will allow authorities to identify accident hotspots and design targeted interventions.

3. Stricter penalties for violations

The Bill significantly enhances penalties for dangerous driving, including:

• heavy fines for overspeeding and racing
• licence suspension for drink-driving
• criminal charges for causing fatalities through negligence
• mandatory vehicle impoundment for repeat offenders
• penalty slabs linked to vehicle type and road category

4. Zero-tolerance alcohol zones

Areas near highways, expressways and major urban corridors will be designated zero-tolerance zones, prohibiting bars, liquor shops and alcohol advertisements in specified buffers.

5. Mandatory safety ratings for vehicles

All new vehicles must meet minimum safety standards, including:

• multiple airbags
• electronic stability control
• rollover protection
• pedestrian safety compliance
• ABS and automatic emergency braking in phased manner

Vehicles will carry clearly displayed safety star-ratings, allowing consumers to make informed choices.

6. Accountability for contractors and engineers

For the first time, road designers, engineers and contractors will face penalties for unsafe road construction, poor maintenance or design flaws contributing to accidents.

7. Protection for vulnerable road users

The Bill prioritises safety for pedestrians, cyclists, women and senior citizens by mandating:

• wider and well-marked crosswalks
• dedicated cycle tracks where feasible
• better lighting in urban and semi-urban areas
• safe bus stops and pedestrian islands

8. School bus and public transport reforms

The legislation mandates upgraded safety standards for school buses and public transport, such as:

• GPS monitoring
• seatbelts
• speed governors
• periodic mechanical inspections

Government: India cannot afford the human cost of unsafe roads

Union officials said the new Bill addresses an “urgent moral and economic priority.” With India losing an estimated 3% of GDP annually due to road accidents, the human and financial cost is staggering.

The Union Minister for Road Transport emphasised that India’s rapid growth demanded safer roads, efficient transport systems and modern regulatory frameworks. “We cannot achieve high-speed development on unsafe infrastructure,” he said.

Dangerous highways: India’s rapid infrastructure growth has outpaced safety planning

Transport experts point out that India has added thousands of kilometres of expressways and highways in recent years, but safety planning and enforcement have not kept pace. Many new high-speed stretches lack:

• proper crash barriers
• safe merging lanes
• reflective signage
• emergency lay-bys
• street lighting
• fog detection systems

The Bill aims to correct these deficiencies through the mandatory audit system.

State governments on high alert

States have been instructed to prepare immediate action plans to implement the Bill’s provisions, including:

• reworking road signage according to new standards
• identifying hazardous black spots
• deploying additional traffic personnel
• digitising accident records
• launching awareness campaigns

Several states, including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh, have already begun internal consultations on compliance mechanisms.

Police and enforcement reforms

The Bill emphasizes upgraded enforcement measures, including:

• AI-enabled speed camera systems
• body cameras for traffic police
• automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) systems
• integrated e-challan platforms
• stricter enforcement of seatbelt and helmet laws

Law enforcement agencies believe technology will significantly reduce human bias and corruption while improving compliance rates.

Fog season and accident hotspots

The new Bill arrives just as northern India enters dense winter fog conditions, historically associated with multi-vehicle pileups on key highways including the Yamuna Expressway, Agra-Lucknow Expressway, Eastern Peripheral Expressway and stretches of the Delhi–Jaipur corridor.

The government has instructed highway authorities to install fog detection systems, flashing alert boards and controlled-speed zones in vulnerable areas.

School bus regulations tightened

The Bill places special emphasis on protecting children. School buses must now comply with:

• colour-coded identification
• CCTV monitoring
• periodic driver background checks
• trained attendants on board
• strict compliance with route permissions

Local authorities must carry out surprise inspections and maintain a public registry of certified school transport providers.

Public transport safety reforms

Accidents involving buses—especially in hilly and rural areas—have prompted the government to introduce additional safety protocols such as:

• fatigue monitoring for long-route drivers
• mandatory rest intervals
• roll-over resistance certifications
• GPS live-tracking dashboards
• revamped driver training programs

Cyclists and pedestrians: India’s most vulnerable commuters

The Bill highlights that nearly half of road fatalities involve pedestrians, cyclists, two-wheeler riders and three-wheeler occupants. With urban congestion growing, the Bill mandates safety measures such as:

• protected cycle lanes
• pedestrian-exclusive corridors
• elevated crosswalks
• restricted heavy-vehicle movement in crowded zones
• better integration of public transport and walkways

Vehicle manufacturing industry reacts

Automakers responded cautiously, noting that while enhanced safety standards are necessary, integrating advanced safety technologies will require significant cost and design adjustments. Manufacturers are seeking:

• phased implementation timelines
• clarity on star-rating parameters
• alignment with global crash-test regimes

Industry groups emphasised that consumer awareness will be critical for successful transition to safer vehicles.

Highway contractors under scrutiny

The Bill introduces strict accountability for contractors responsible for poor-quality road construction or maintenance lapses. Authorities can now impose:

• monetary penalties
• contract suspension
• removal from approved contractor lists
• blacklisting in extreme cases

This marks a major shift toward infrastructure accountability in India’s transport sector.

National Road Safety Authority proposed

The Bill calls for the establishment of a dedicated National Road Safety Authority, tasked with:

• coordinating policies between states
• standardizing safety norms
• analysing crash data
• issuing binding directives
• monitoring implementation across India

The authority will function as a centralised institution for nationwide safety governance.

Grassroots awareness campaigns

The government will launch new public campaigns focused on:

• helmet and seatbelt compliance
• high-speed risks
• drunken driving awareness
• fatigue monitoring for truck drivers
• safe school transportation
• rural road safety education

Civil society groups will collaborate with district authorities for localised outreach.

International alignment

The Bill aligns India’s transport safety policies with global frameworks followed in countries including:

• Japan
• Australia
• Germany
• UK
• South Korea

Several of these nations have seen dramatic reductions in road fatalities due to systematic audits, safer vehicle standards and strict enforcement.

The economic argument for safer roads

Economists say reducing road accidents directly improves productivity, lowers insurance costs, reduces healthcare burdens and supports tourism. Logistics companies also benefit from safer highways with fewer disruptions.

Concerns and challenges ahead

While the Bill is comprehensive, experts warn of challenges:

• shortage of trained safety auditors
• enforcement gaps in rural areas
• potential resistance from local contractors
• need for greater police modernisation
• ensuring uniformity across states

However, the government has committed to phased implementation supported by training programs and infrastructure upgrades.

Conclusion: A decisive step toward safer roads

The National Road Safety Bill represents one of India’s strongest commitments to addressing its long-standing transport safety crisis. By mandating safety audits, building a national crash database, enforcing strict penalties and raising vehicle safety standards, the government aims to reduce traffic fatalities and create safer mobility networks.

The coming years will determine whether the Bill can deliver measurable results on the ground. But for now, the Centre has sent a clear message: saving lives on India’s roads is no longer negotiable.