Mint explainer: What is MoRTH doing to reduce road deaths on India’s highways?

As expressways multiply and speeds rise, policymakers have acknowledged that infrastructure expansion alone cannot deliver safe mobility. The government is now reworking how highways are designed, monitored and managed—going beyond expansion to systemic safety reform.

Mint explains why highway safety has become a priority for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), and how its multi-pronged strategy aims to save lives.

Why has highway safety become a priority for MoRTH?

Although National Highways account for just 2–3% of India’s road network, they contribute a disproportionately high share of fatal accidents. High speeds, uncontrolled access points, mixed traffic, pedestrian and animal intrusion, poor night visibility, and delayed emergency response have turned many corridors into accident hotspots.

The demographic impact is severe. Nearly 66% of road fatalities occur in the 18–45 age group, India’s most economically productive population, while almost one-fourth of victims are below 25. This makes road safety not just a transport issue but a public health and economic concern.

MoRTH has acknowledged that blaming drivers alone is ineffective. Instead, it is adopting a “Safe System" approach—placing shared responsibility on road designers, vehicle makers, enforcement agencies and users, with the goal of preventing human errors from turning fatal.

How is technology being used to prevent accidents?

Technology-led prevention is now central to MoRTH’s strategy. Intelligent Transport Management Systems (ITMS) are being rolled out on national highways for real-time speed monitoring, incident detection and automated enforcement. AI-enabled cameras detect over-speeding, lane violations and seat belt non-compliance, while pilots are testing vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication on high-speed corridors.

A notable example is National Highways Authority of India's (NHAI’s) real-time stray cattle alert system, launched in January 2026 on the Jaipur–Agra and Jaipur–Rewari corridors. Drivers receive location-based SMS and voice alerts up to 10 km in advance, warning them to slow down in cattle-prone zones. Alerts are capped at one every 30 minutes to avoid fatigue.

Seasonal risks such as fog are addressed through reflective markers, solar blinkers, improved signage, variable message signs and joint emergency drills involving police and ambulances.

Electronic enforcement has expanded under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, with speed cameras, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system, CCTV, weigh-in-motion systems and e-challans backed by a ₹3,000-crore allocation under the SASCI scheme for 2025–26.

What changes are being made to highway design and construction?

Engineering remains the first line of defence. MoRTH has mandated road safety audits at the design, construction and operational stages of all national highway projects. Accident-prone black spots are being redesigned with improved geometry, service roads, crash barriers, pedestrian crossings and clearer signage.

New expressways increasingly follow access-controlled designs with median barriers, wider shoulders and safer slopes. Pedestrian underpasses and service lanes are prioritised near habitations to reduce conflict with fast-moving traffic.

In wildlife-sensitive zones, innovation is evident. On a highway through the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve, NHAI introduced India’s first “table-top red marking"—a raised red thermoplastic surface that provides visual and tactile cues to slow vehicles. The stretch also features animal underpasses, fencing, solar lighting and camera monitoring.

To improve construction quality, NHAI has tied up with the National Test House for independent third-party testing, while contractor performance is increasingly linked to safety outcomes.

How are tolling and highway operations being redesigned?

Toll plazas have long caused congestion and risky lane changes. MoRTH is now pushing cashless, friction-free tolling.

The FASTag Annual Pass, launched in August 2025, allows up to 200 trips or one year of travel for ₹3,000 across 1,150 toll plazas. By November 2025, over 36 lakh passes had been sold.

The surcharge on UPI toll payments has been reduced, leading to a sharp rise in digital transactions and lower cash usage. India is also preparing for Multi-Lane Free Flow tolling, where vehicles pass through toll points at highway speeds using FASTag and ANPR. The first multi-lane free flow (MLFF) corridor is expected in 2026.

Users are also charged only 50% toll during highway widening, reinforcing transparency and fairness.

What is being done after crashes occur?

Many fatalities result from delayed medical care rather than crash severity. MoRTH’s post-crash strategy focuses on the “Golden Hour"— the first hour after injury.

Under the Rah-Veer (Good Samaritan) Scheme, citizens who help victims reach hospitals within an hour receive ₹25,000 per incident and legal protection. National awards further incentivize intervention.

Other measures include a cashless treatment scheme for victims, stronger trauma-care networks, integration with 112 emergency services, and mandatory use of the e-DAR digital accident reporting platform.

How are states, districts and citizens involved?

Road safety is a Concurrent Subject, requiring Centre–state coordination. In January 2026, Transport Ministers aligned on enforcement, digitization and legislative reforms.

At the local level, cz Mitra trains youth volunteers to identify accident hotspots and support response efforts. A nationwide Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan promotes helmets, seat belts and safe driving.

Driver training is being upgraded through modern institutes and simulators, while vehicle safety norms are tightening through Bharat NCAP ratings, mandatory airbags, ABS and gradual adoption of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).