🚦 Supreme Court’s Landmark 2025 Road Safety Ruling: Life-Saving Directions for Every Indian

⚠️ Introduction: India’s Road Safety Emergency

India records over 1.7 lakh road deaths every year — nearly 480 every day. According to the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways’ 2023 report, 35,221 pedestrians and 54,000 two-wheeler riders lost their lives. The Supreme Court has now stepped in, treating road safety as a national emergency under Article 21 — the right to life.

The Court’s judgment in Dr. S. Rajaseekaran v. Union of India (2025 INSC 1189) goes far beyond routine directions. It is a holistic reform blueprint that binds every State, Union Territory, and highway authority to act.

⚖️ Why the Supreme Court Intervened

The petition, filed in 2012 by orthopaedic surgeon Dr. S. Rajaseekaran, highlighted India’s “silent genocide” on the roads. Despite decades of policy papers, implementation lagged. The Court finally issued binding directions covering five urgent fronts:

1. Pedestrian safety and encroachment-free footpaths
2. Safe pedestrian crossings
3. Helmet enforcement for two-wheelers
4. Wrong-lane driving and unsafe overtaking
5. Ban on dazzling LED lights, red-blue strobes, and illegal hooters

🧍‍♀️ 1. Pedestrian Safety and Footpaths

Pedestrians make up 20 % of all road deaths. The Court called their protection “a constitutional imperative.” It ordered road-owning agencies — NHAI, PWDs, and municipalities — in 50 major cities to begin footpath audits focusing on accident-prone areas.

Key directions:

• Audit and upgrade footpaths near markets, schools, hospitals, and transport hubs within fixed timelines.
• Remove illegal parking, hawkers, and construction encroachments from footpaths under Sections 201 and 210B of the Motor Vehicles Act (MV Act).
• Install bollards, tactile paving for persons with disabilities, and proper drainage and surfacing per IRC 103-2022 Guidelines for Pedestrian Safety.
• Provide 24×7 lighting, CCTV surveillance, and panic buttons in subways and foot-over-bridges (FOBs).
• Create an online grievance portal for citizens to report damaged or blocked sidewalks.

IRC 103-2022 Highlights (in brief)

• Minimum walking-zone width: 2 m (residential) – 4 m (high-street)
• Footpath height: 150 mm above carriageway
• Use anti-skid surfaces and tactile pavers; ensure universal accessibility
• Bollards 0.5–0.7 m high, 0.6 m apart, 1 m gap for wheelchairs

🚸 2. Safe Pedestrian Crossings

Crossing the road should not be a life-threatening act. The Court emphasized raised or signalised crossings over expensive subways that remain unused.

• Priority for table-top raised crossings and well-marked zebra crossings with reflective paint.
• Traffic-calming measures (speed humps 10–20 m before crossings) as per IRC 35-2015 and 67-2012.
• Immediate upgrades at high-risk sites — e.g., Mathura Road outside Delhi High Court and National Zoological Park — within 7 months.
• Survey 20 % of roads in each of the 50 cities within 1 year for new crossing requirements.

🪖 3. Wearing Helmets — Non-Negotiable

Over 54,000 two-wheeler deaths in 2023 occurred because helmets were not worn. The Court invoked Sections 128, 129 and 194-D of the MV Act to make helmet compliance a national priority.

• Every rider and pillion must wear a BIS-certified helmet.
• Fake or half helmets are banned; manufacturers and sellers face prosecution.
• States must run camera-based e-enforcement and report the number of challans, fines, and license suspensions to the Court.

🚫 4. Wrong-Lane Driving and Lane Discipline

Disorderly traffic kills. The Court linked lane discipline to pedestrian safety, directing strict action under Sections 184 and 206 of the MV Act and Rule 5 of the Road Regulations 1989.

• Use AI-enabled cameras and e-challans to penalize wrong-lane drivers.
• Introduce coloured lane markings for buses and cycles.
• Install rumble strips and tyre killers at critical junctions.
• Publish real-time dashboards of lane violations to improve public awareness.

💡 5. Ban on Dazzling Headlights, Red-Blue Strobes & Hooters

High-intensity LEDs and fake “VIP” lights are now illegal. They cause temporary blindness for oncoming drivers and pedestrians. The Court ordered a nationwide crackdown.

• MoRTH and States to set maximum luminance and beam angles for headlights (checked during PUC and fitness tests).
• Immediate seizure of unauthorised red-blue strobes and hooters.
• Launch nationwide awareness campaigns on the hazards of dazzling lights and improper modifications.

🏗 Implementation & Accountability Framework

• Section 198-A MV Act — Officials, contractors, and consultants can be personally fined for design failures causing deaths.
• All States and UTs must frame rules under Sections 138(1A) and 210-D within 6 months for pedestrian and road design standards.
• District Road Safety Committees (DRSCs) must review pedestrian safety in monthly meetings.
• Online grievance portals and citizen feedback loops to be mandatory.

📘 Brief: IRC 103-2022 Pedestrian Safety Guidelines

Issued by the Indian Roads Congress under MoRTH, these guidelines — now legally binding under Rule 166 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules 2020 — define how footpaths and crossings must be built:

• Minimum widths (2 m – 6.5 m based on land use)
• 150 mm height above road surface
• Anti-skid materials and tactile warning tiles for the visually impaired
• Proper lighting, drainage, and bollards to prevent vehicle encroachment
• Raised table-top crossings and speed calming measures near schools and markets

🌍 Shared Responsibility: The Road Ahead

“The purpose of road safety is not to penalise, but to protect life.” — Supreme Court of India (2025)

The judgment reiterates that saving lives is a collective duty — of governments, engineers, enforcement agencies, and citizens alike. Wearing a helmet or seatbelt, driving responsibly, and helping accident victims are moral as well as legal obligations.

💬 Conclusion: From Judgment to Action

This 2025 ruling marks a turning point. The Court will monitor compliance and has sought progress reports within seven months. India’s road safety movement now has judicial momentum — but its success depends on everyday compliance by citizens and administrators alike.

🔗 Read the Full Judgment: Supreme Court of India – Dr. S. Rajaseekaran v. Union of India (2025 INSC 1189)