India has been awarded the 'Prince Michael Decade of Action Road Safety Award', the highest global honour in road safety, for its progress in vehicle safety improvements over the past decade. 

This recognition is significant, but it raises a pressing question- despite these advancements, why does India still record one of the highest road fatality rates in the world?

What Did India Do to Win?

The award, presented at the 4th Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Marrakech, acknowledges India's efforts in:

1. Rolling out a new car safety assessment system

2. Making ABS (anti-lock braking system) mandatory for all new two-wheelers

3. Implementing stricter vehicle safety norms

Ajay Tamta, Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways, accepted the award, emphasizing India's commitment to bringing vehicle safety standards on par with Europe by 2023.

While improved car safety is a step forward, the real crisis remains outside vehicles. Unlike developed nations where most road accident deaths occur inside cars, India's fatalities overwhelmingly involve pedestrians, cyclists, and two-wheeler riders.

Over 1.73 lakh lives were lost on Indian roads in 2023 alone. This raises critical concerns. Are safer cars enough when infrastructure and enforcement still lag behind? Will this award lead to real change, or is it just another recognition without tangible impact?

The Kingdom of Morocco was also honoured at the event, where global leaders discussed strategies to reduce road fatalities by 50% by 2030.

India has undeniably made progress, but is it addressing the real problem? Are these achievements truly making roads safer? Let us know in the comments!