India’s road safety crisis is staggering. With over 250,000 deaths a year, the nation faces an urgent and multifaceted challenge that goes beyond public safety to touch upon societal and economic resilience.
The good news is that technological advancements, such as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), offer a path forward that could transform mobility, save lives, and foster economic growth.
Grim numbers, great losses
Road safety is top of mind for most Indian road users. According to a survey conducted by HERE Technologies, 98% of respondents express apprehension about the risk of road accidents in India. However, only about one in four respondents drives vehicles equipped with advanced safety features like ADAS, revealing a significant gap between awareness and action.
The cost of this inaction could be devastating. A government report estimates that 19 lives are lost to road accidents every hour in India. For every fatality, many more individuals suffer from life-altering injuries, creating a ripple effect of grief and loss. The economic toll is equally alarming. Road accidents also cost India an estimated three to five per cent of its GDP annually, driven by loss of productivity, healthcare expenses, and infrastructure damage.
The impact extends to India’s logistics sector as well, which heavily relies on road networks to facilitate freight and transportation. Accidents disrupt supply chains, delay deliveries, and increase costs. As such, the cost of inaction on road safety is far too high to ignore, and investing in road safety technologies is not optional — it’s essential.
Big tech for big gains
ADAS is a game-changer in the fight for safer roads. Designed to mitigate human error, a leading cause of accidents, these systems include features like lane departure warnings, adaptive cruise control, collision avoidance systems, and emergency braking. In developed markets, ADAS is becoming a standard, significantly reducing road accidents and fatalities.
Encouragingly, the same survey reveals that 82% of Indian road users say they would consider vehicles equipped with ADAS features. This indicates that with the right incentives, such as tax breaks for ADAS-equipped vehicles or mandates requiring these technologies in new models, adoption could accelerate rapidly.
Prioritising vulnerable two-wheeler riders
Two-wheelers are at the heart of India’s road safety crisis. An overwhelming 91% of survey respondents said they drive two-wheelers, making this segment a critical focus for any road safety initiative. Alarmingly, 80% of two-wheeler riders feel at risk on the roads, underscoring the need for targeted safety solutions.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau, two-wheelers account for a significant proportion of road accident fatalities. In 2023 alone, two-wheeler riders, especially those without helmets, account for 44% of road fatalities, making them the most perilous mode of transport in India.
Here’s where ADAS can make a difference. Features like emergency braking and collision avoidance in larger vehicles can help prevent accidents involving two-wheelers. By equipping heavy vehicles with these technologies, we can protect not just the occupants of these vehicles but also vulnerable two-wheeler riders.
Heavy vehicles and hefty risks
Beyond passenger vehicles, road safety is also a concern for heavy vehicles, including trucks and buses, which play a critical role in India’s economy by facilitating the movement of goods and people. Over 40% of surveyed logistics operators pointed to driver fatigue, overloading, and lack of safety systems as major contributors to accidents involving freight vehicles.
In this sense, data-driven technologies offer a promising solution. Real-time traffic updates, route optimisation tools, and predictive analytics can enhance the safety and efficiency of freight and logistics operations. Imagine a system that alerts a truck driver to hazardous weather conditions, guides them to an alternate route to avoid congestion, or prevents wrong-side driving through proactive warnings. These innovations not only make roads safer, they ensure that goods move faster and more efficiently, benefiting businesses and consumers alike.
By equipping heavy vehicles with connected safety systems, India can address one of the most pressing challenges in its transportation sector while improving the reliability of its supply chains.
A safer road ahead
The current focus on road safety in India presents an opportunity to rethink and reshape the country’s mobility ecosystem. Technological advancements like ADAS, combined with data-driven solutions, have the potential to save thousands of lives every year and significantly reduce economic losses.
However, the clock is ticking. The longer we delay widespread adoption of these technologies, the higher the costs – both human and financial. It’s time for India to take bold steps, embrace innovation, and prioritize safety at every level of mobility.
With a collaborative, forward-thinking approach, Indian roads can evolve from being some of the world’s most dangerous to a benchmark for safety and progress. The journey ahead is not without its bumps, but the destination is clear: safer cars will bring about safer roads that serve as a foundation for India’s growth.
(Disclaimer: Abhijit Sengupta, Senior Director and Head of Business for India and Southeast Asia, HERE Technologies. Views are personal.)
