Adarsh ​​Joshi Column | Road Safety & Importance Of Good Driving Skills

Adarsh ​​Joshi, lawyer in Supreme Court

You are walking in your lane, maintaining a safe distance and also driving at the prescribed speed. Then suddenly another vehicle cuts in front without warning. A motorcyclist comes from the wrong direction. A car starts reversing on the highway after missing an exit. A truck circles the fast lane. Indicators remain a matter of show. High beam almost blinds the oncoming vehicles. Mobile keeps distracting the driver from steering.

These scenes have become so common that we are no longer surprised. In many ways, these have become a part of everyday driving in India. Whenever a serious accident occurs, the public debate usually revolves around the roads. Was there a pothole on the road? Was the highway poorly designed? There were no safety barriers? These questions are also important.

The Supreme Court recently highlighted many such concerns in the Phalodi accident case and issued directions to improve the safety of the highway. The court considered a wide range of issues ranging from highway management and encroachment to emergency response systems and accident prevention measures. This intervention was necessary because better roads, safer highways and faster emergency response systems can save lives. But the decision also brings attention to a question that is rarely asked – are we even paying attention to the drivers?

Road safety does not begin on the highway, but begins when one acquires the right to drive. Driving license is one of the most important permissions given by the government. It gives a person the right to operate a machine that can cause huge damage in a moment. But in practice the process of obtaining a driving license is often treated as a simple administrative process rather than a serious assessment of skill, judgment and responsibility.

Its results are visible every day. Lane discipline is ignored. Overtaking from the wrong side is common. Drivers stop at unsafe places, use high beams unnecessarily and do not obey traffic signals. Such behavior is often considered mere indiscipline. But the problem goes deeper than that: Many drivers have never been properly taught why these rules are in place.

Starting, changing gears, reversing and parking a vehicle are mechanical skills, while driving requires awareness, decision-making and discipline. Meaning, anticipating hazards, maintaining a safe distance, following lane discipline, understanding blind spots and recognizing that every decision made on the road affects the safety of others. Even if a person knows how to drive, he can still be an unsafe driver. But the licensing process recognizes that being able to drive a vehicle is also the ability to drive safely.

There were 4.68 lakh road accidents in India in 2024, in which more than 1.75 lakh people died. More than 61% of accidents resulted from over-speeding alone. 26% were due to dangerous or careless driving and overtaking. Both of them are responsible for most of the accidents. For years we have discussed how roads should be built. But now we need to ensure that the driving license actually serves as proof of competency. There is also a need to strengthen driving education. (These are the author’s own views)

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