Supreme Court orders sweeping road‑safety measures across India
The Supreme Court delivered a series of sharp directives on Tuesday to cut road deaths, protect pedestrians, and tighten helmet rules. The move follows a public interest case that highlighted the rising toll of traffic accidents in the country.
Key points from the order
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Pedestrian infrastructure – The Court said footpaths are a basic right and can’t be taken over or ignored. All road‑owning authorities, including city councils and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), must audit pedestrian crossings in 50 major Indian cities. The audit will focus on high‑traffic spots such as markets, railway stations, bus stops, temples and schools, giving priority to sites where pedestrian injuries or deaths have occurred in the past two to three years.
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Helmet enforcement – About 70 % of two‑wheeler deaths are linked to people not wearing helmets. The court told state governments, union territories and NHAI to enforce helmet laws strictly, using e‑enforcement tools such as traffic cameras.
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Lane discipline and overtaking – Wrong‑lane driving and unsafe overtaking, especially near intersections and pedestrian crossings, remain a problem. The Court calls for automated cameras, stepped‑up fines and physical deterrents like rumble strips and tyre‑killers at key points.
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Headlights and signaling – Illegal LED lights, bright strobes and illegal horn usage create confusion and danger. The Court instructed traffic departments and police to set limits on headlight brightness and beam angles, and to ban unauthorised lights and horns. Nationwide awareness campaigns on this issue are also required.
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Grievance redressal – Municipal bodies, state governments and NHAI must set up online complaint systems to handle footpath and crossing issues. Complaints must be resolved within a specified timeframe, and a review mechanism must be available for dissatisfied users.
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Regulatory framework – Within six months, each state and union territory must draft rules under Section 138(1A) and 210-D of the Motor Vehicles Act to protect pedestrians and set road‑design standards if they haven’t already.
The court will revisit the case after seven months to check progress.
Why it matters now
India’s road‑fatality figure climbed to 172,890 in 2023, with 35,221 of those deaths involving pedestrians. That’s a 7.3 % jump from the previous year and a steep rise from the just 10.44 % of total deaths recorded in 2016. The Supreme Court’s order aims to curb this trend by making roads safer for everyone, especially those on foot and riders on two‑wheelers.
Source: ianslive
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