The declaration calls for accountability, enforcement and systemic reform, as India continues to record the world’s highest road fatalities, a challenge underscored at the BARS-hosted Confluence, where experts highlighted how pedestrians, cyclists, two-wheeler riders, gig workers and rural communities bear the greatest burden.
India has formally committed to cutting road fatalities and serious injuries by at least 50% by 2030, unveiling the New Delhi Road Safety Declaration at IIT Delhi — a landmark commitment that shifts the national approach from awareness-driven campaigns to measurable, accountable action. The long-term ambition: Zero Preventable Road Fatalities.
Aligned with the WHO Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021–2030), the Declaration was launched at the National Road Safety Confluence, which brought together government representatives, global road safety experts, enforcement agencies, OEMs, insurers, civil society, academia and youth groups under a collaborative “Samaaj–Sarkaar–Bazaar” framework.
The inaugural address was delivered by Dr. Mats-Åke Belin, Global Lead for the WHO Decade of Action for Road Safety. He noted that road safety has finally achieved sustained political and public attention worldwide. “But awareness is not enough. Our responsibility is to move to consistent, evidence-based implementation so that no country is left behind in preventing road traffic deaths,” he said.
Mr. V. Umashankar, Secretary (Road Transport & Highways), Government of India, underscored the urgency of the national challenge. “As a nation, we cannot accept road fatalities as inevitable. Each accident is personal, each loss preventable. What we need is organised, district-level action, backed by certainty of enforcement. When compliance becomes habit, road safety will move from intention to impact.”
The Confluence, hosted by BARS — the Bharat Association of Road Safety Volunteers — stressed that India continues to record the world’s highest number of road fatalities, with pedestrians, cyclists, two-wheeler riders, gig workers and rural populations disproportionately affected. Despite major highway expansion and multiple initiatives, significant systemic gaps remain: blackspot management linked to kilometres, not lives saved; fragmented accountability; weak licensing and driver training systems; under-utilised crash data; inadequate emergency response; and limited mass adoption of two-wheeler safety technologies.
Mr. Rama Shankar Pandey, Chairman of BARS, framed the Declaration as a necessary shift in national thinking. “Road safety is not merely a transport issue; it is a governance responsibility and a moral obligation. The New Delhi Declaration moves India from fragmented initiatives to coordinated, time-bound action.”
At the heart of the Declaration is a Safe System Approach — putting human life and injury prevention at the centre of all mobility decisions. It outlines five core pillars for nationwide reform:
1. Governance & Accountability:
Strengthening State-level Unified Road Safety Authorities; democratising District Road Safety Committees; shifting performance metrics from construction output to lives saved; and instituting independent annual monitoring.
2. Safer Vehicles & Fleets:
Eliminating sub-standard components; localising critical safety technologies; expanding safety systems for two-wheelers; and integrating AI-enabled enforcement with insurance-linked safety scoring.
3. Safer Road Users:
Mandatory practical driver training; tougher licensing; behavioural reforms through school and higher education; and strict penalties for repeat offenders.
4. Post-Crash Response:
Enhancing Golden Hour efficiency; standardised crash investigations; CPR training in high-risk regions; and upgraded trauma care infrastructure and rehabilitation support.
5. Safer Infrastructure & Blackspot Management:
Continuous, data-led blackspot mapping; safety audits of existing assets; design corrections with zero tolerance for unsafe elements; and focused interventions in rural and peri-urban crash clusters.
BARS clarified that it functions as a neutral, science-driven platform — not a funding agency or political entity — enabling collaboration and scalable road safety models across Samaaj, Sarkaar and Bazaar. WRI served as the knowledge partner at the Confluence.
Closed-door sessions outlined implementation pathways and district-level acceleration strategies. Signatories have committed to time-bound action plans, independent yearly reviews, strengthened enforcement capacity, and prioritising vulnerable road users, while aligning ESG and insurance frameworks with measurable safety outcomes. The New Delhi Road Safety Declaration remains open for endorsement across government, industry and civil society, marking a decisive national push toward a safer mobility future.
