Over speeding, negligent driving under spotlight during National Road Safety Month celebrations
Ferozepur, January 20, 2026: Expressing grave concern over the rising number of road fatalities in the country, Deepak Sharma, Founder of Mayank Foundation and Member of the Road Safety Advisory Committee, Punjab Police, said that over-speeding and casual driving have emerged as the biggest killers of India’s youth.
National Road Safety Month 2026 is being observed from 1st January to 31st January 2026 to propagate the cause of safer roads for all. The role of youth is crucial in shaping safer communities.
Addressing media on the sidelines of an event organised during National Road Safety Month, presided over by Special DGP (Traffic) A S Rai, Sharma underlined the urgent need for collective responsibility and strict compliance with traffic rules to prevent avoidable loss of young lives.
Citing latest national statistics, Sharma said India witnesses over 4.6 lakh road accidents every year, resulting in more than 1.7 lakh deaths. Nearly 70 per cent of these fatalities are attributed to over-speeding. Alarmingly, a large proportion of victims fall in the 18–35 years age group, exposing the vulnerability of young drivers and riders. He added that non-use of helmets and seat belts alone continues to claim tens of thousands of lives annually, reflecting widespread negligence on roads.
“Speed thrills but kills. Mobile phone use while driving, not wearing helmets or seat belts, drunk driving and blatant disregard for traffic rules are wiping out our youth at an alarming rate. Road crashes are not accidents; they are preventable tragedies,” Sharma said.
He stressed that achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 3.6—to halve road traffic deaths by 2030—requires focused implementation of the 4 E’s of road safety. These include safer road engineering, strict enforcement of traffic laws, sustained education and awareness campaigns, and robust emergency care with improved post-crash response and trauma services.
“Only a coordinated effort involving government agencies, enforcement authorities, civil society and citizens can ensure safer roads and sustainable mobility in India,” Sharma added.