Road traffic fatalities are a major public health concern, with about 1.2 million people dying each year in crashes worldwide. India accounts for about 11% of global road accident fatalities. The problem is particularly serious because Indian roads carry mixed traffic, lane discipline is poor, unsafe non-standard vehicles remain in use, and schools, markets and other roadside development are common. Government data show that crashes and deaths increased in 2024, with speeding the biggest contributor.
Timeline
2020-2030: India is committed to the Sustainable Development Goal of reducing deaths and serious injuries from road crashes by 50%.
2023: India recorded fewer road crashes than in 2024, with both crashes and fatalities rising the following year.
2024: More than 4.87 lakh crashes, 1.77 lakh fatalities and 4.71 lakh injuries were recorded across states and Union territories.
Recent years: IIT Kharagpur begins a study focusing on speed management and provides technical support to states on developing speed management policies.
Current study: Research on National Highway-16 examines speed-limit signs, enforcement and the effect of reduced speeds on crashes and fatalities.
What does the Indian government’s latest report say about road crash fatalities?
A report by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), released in June 2026, saysIndia recorded more than 1.77 lakh fatalities and 4.71 lakh injuries in more than 4.87 lakh road crashes in 2024.
The number of crashes increased by 1.5% from 2023, while fatalities rose by 2.5%. This goes against India’s commitment under the Sustainable Development Goal to reduce deaths and serious injuries by 50% between 2020 and 2030.
Speeding was the biggest contributor. It accounted for 70.7% of total crashes and 70.3% of total fatalities.
Why is road safety a particular concern in India?
Indian traffic is highly mixed, with different types of vehicles using the same roads. Lane discipline is poor, and a significant number of unsafe, non-standard vehicles are present. Schools and markets are often located alongside roads, while roadside development is extensive. These conditions increase the challenges involved in managing road safety.
What approach is needed to reduce crashes and deaths?
The Safe System Approach is recognised globally as an important way of reducing road crashes and fatalities. It focuses on five areas: Safe Roads, Safe Vehicle, Safe Speed, Safe Road Users and Post-Crash Care.
The Government of India has taken several initiatives across these areas. However, the study says that Safe Speed, one of the five key areas, has not received adequate attention.
Has there been a study specifically on speed management?
Yes. IIT Kharagpur has initiated a study led by Prof Bhargab Maitra of its Civil Engineering Department. The study gives special attention to speed management, with the aim of reducing road fatalities and serious injuries in a targeted and time-bound manner.
What does that study show about who is most at risk?
About 69% of road fatalities involve vulnerable road users — pedestrians, bicyclists and two-wheeler riders. These road users are less protected when a crash occurs.
Road crashes also create major social costs for individuals, families and communities. They put a heavy burden on health services and the national economy. India loses around 3% of its GDP because of road crashes.
What does speed management involve?
The study identifies two main parts of speed management. The first is deciding suitable safe speeds for different non-ideal road conditions. The second is ensuring that drivers follow those limits.
This requires a combination of engineering measures, effective enforcement and public awareness.
Why does the study recommend considering human injury tolerance?
The study recommends that speed limits in non-ideal conditions should take Human Injury Tolerance (HIT) into account, in line with global best practices.
The idea is to set speed limits in a way that reduces the risk of death even when a crash occurs. Prof Maitra, who is also a member of the Road Safety and Design Committee of the Indian Road Congress, has highlighted this approach.
What has IIT Kharagpur done on speed management?
IIT Kharagpur has worked closely with the government of West Bengal, providing technical support for developing speed management policy interventions. The state has subsequently notified safe speed limits with the aim of reducing fatalities through scientific speed management.
The institute is also working with the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Rajasthan to provide similar technical support based on the circumstances of each state. The study also outlines the actions required from different departments for effective implementation.
Do speed-limit signs alone change driver behaviour?
The IIT study suggests that they do very little on their own. It examined a 51-km stretch of National Highway-16 between Kharagpur and Kolaghat in West Bengal. Speed studies at eight locations near speed-limit signs found that the signs alone had very little effect on the speeding behaviour of different categories of vehicles when there were no physical measures or enforcement.
Prof Maitra said Safe Speed is an area where benefits can be achieved in a short period.
What happened when vehicle speeds were reduced?
The study compared crash data at 13 locations during daytime and night-time to examine the effect of speed reduction.
It found statistically significant improvements in safety indicators. Fatal crashes fell by an average of 28.23%, fatalities by 28.94%, and crash severity — measured as fatalities per 100 crashes — by 34.67%. The risk of fatal crashes, measured as the percentage of fatal crashes among all crashes, fell by 35.37% on average.
A comparison with 13 similar locations without daytime design enforcement found no significant changes in these safety indicators.
Why is electronic enforcement important on highways?
That is because physical measures such as speed humps and speed tables are neither desirable nor permitted on National Highways. The studytherefore points to enforcement of posted speed limits as necessary for effective speed management on highways.
Manual enforcement is difficult because of the size of India’s road network and other challenges. The study therefore indicates the need for electronic enforcement. The Centre has recently published Standard Operating Procedures for electronic enforcement, which can be used for this purpose.
Are speed controls the only road safety measure needed?
No. The study also points to other measures whose benefits are expected over the longer term.These include better access control, improved facilities for vulnerable road users on high-speed corridors, better safety features in vehicles, stronger education and awareness among road users, and improved post-crash care.
These measures require comprehensive policies, effective implementation and acceptance and adoption by society. Speed management, by contrast, is one area where safety benefits can be achieved in a shorter period.
