Rethinking road design: 10 urgent fixes for safer Indian streets

Why roads are a design challenge, not just a policy issue

In 2021, India recorded over 153,972 officially reported road deaths, but independent estimates suggest the actual number is at least 40% higher. That’s equivalent to one major plane crash happening daily, yet it barely makes headlines. Unlike infectious diseases, road crashes are a silent epidemic—killing more people than tuberculosis or maternal complications. Failure is not just an enforcement or vehicle safety issue; it is fundamentally a failure of road design.

For young designers and urban planners, this is an immense opportunity to shape the built environment—to rethink streets, intersections, and transport infrastructure in ways that could save thousands of lives every year. Here are 10 insights from the India Road Safety Status Report 2024 that highlight urgent gaps and possible solutions.

TLDR;

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1. The more we widen roads, the more dangerous they become

A common approach to solving urban congestion in India is road widening, often at the cost of footpaths and pedestrian zones. Yet data shows that, increased road widths correlate with higher vehicle speeds and deadlier accidents. In Delhi, for instance, pedestrian fatalities increased by 12% over the past five years, despite more roads being built. Global best practices suggest the opposite: cities like Helsinki and Oslo have reduced traffic deaths by over 50% by narrowing roads and investing in public transit. India must rethink road diets—designing streets that slow vehicles down and make walking safer, rather than optimizing for cars.

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2. Pedestrians and cyclists are the most vulnerable, yet least prioritized

Over 40% of road fatalities in India involve pedestrians and cyclists, yet most Indian cities do not have basic walking or cycling infrastructure. In places like Tamil Nadu, footpaths are almost nonexistent outside city centers, forcing people to walk alongside speeding vehicles. Meanwhile, countries like Denmark have dedicated 25% of their urban transport budgets to cycling infrastructure, reducing bike-related deaths by 80% in two decades. Indian cities need to rethink roads as multi-modal spaces, prioritizing pedestrians and cyclists over cars, rather than treating them as afterthoughts.

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3. Helmet and seatbelt laws exist, but culture undermines them

Despite mandatory helmet laws, only 7 states have helmet compliance rates above 50%. In Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, pillion rider helmet use is below 10%. Studies show that wearing a helmet reduces the risk of fatal head injuries by 70%, yet enforcement is weak, especially in rural areas. In contrast, Vietnam increased helmet compliance from 30% to 90% in just three years by implementing strict penalties alongside mass awareness campaigns. Road designers in India need to consider built-in nudges—from helmet-detection sensors at traffic lights to insurance-linked incentives for compliance.

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4. Highways are built for speed, but not for emergency response

India’s national and state highways account for 60% of road fatalities, largely because they are designed to maximize vehicle movement without considering emergency response. Shockingly, most highways lack properly marked emergency lanes or trauma centers within a 10 km radius, leading to high post-crash fatality rates. In contrast, Germany’s autobahns, despite having higher speed limits, have fewer fatalities per capita because they enforce strict lane discipline, speed control zones, and emergency response planning. India needs a similar shift—prioritizing emergency preparedness in road design rather than focusing solely on expansion.

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5. Mixed-speed traffic is a deathtrap, compounded by lane indiscipline

The design of Indian roads forces two-wheelers, cyclists, trucks, and pedestrians to share the same space, leading to chaotic and dangerous conditions. In six states analyzed in the report, trucks were the leading impact vehicles in fatal crashes, often colliding with motorcycles or pedestrians due to blind spots and speed differentials. Countries like Sweden mandate strict lane separation, reducing the probability of such collisions. India must rethink lane design, using physical barriers, speed-differentiated lanes, and AI-based traffic monitoring to separate slow and fast-moving vehicles. It’s not cool to say, India has negotiable lanes.

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6. Road safety is treated as a law enforcement issue, but it’s a design problem

Most road safety discussions in India focus on police enforcement—fines, penalties, and challans—but global evidence shows that better design is far more effective. Roundabouts, speed bumps, and traffic-calming measures have been shown to reduce fatalities by up to 50% in cities like Melbourne and Tokyo. Yet, most Indian road projects prioritize vehicle throughput over safety. Instead of relying solely on human enforcement, India should design streets that naturally slow down traffic, using road curvature, elevation changes, and material textures to nudge safer driving behavior.

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7. The data we use to design roads is deeply flawed

India’s official crash data is wildly underreported—the Supreme Court Road Safety Committee found that actual road deaths could be 40-60% higher than what police records indicate. Unlike countries with centralized crash databases that integrate hospital, insurance, and police records, India relies on FIR-based accident reporting, which is inconsistent across states. The lack of real-time crash data means that dangerous intersections or highways are rarely flagged until multiple deaths occur. There is an urgent need for AI-powered crash mapping systems that integrate real-time ambulance data, CCTV footage, and GPS-based tracking.

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8. Trucks are the biggest killers, but their Design remains unchecked

Large trucks account for a disproportionate number of road fatalities in India, yet most lack side guards, underrun protection, or blind-spot warning systems. In Delhi alone, 20% of pedestrian deaths are caused by trucks crushing people in blind spots. Europe mandates high-visibility truck designs, side barriers, and automatic braking systems, which have significantly reduced fatal crashes. Indian transport regulators need to push for better truck safety standards, including mandatory high-visibility reflectors, GPS-based speed monitoring, and redesigned cabin structures for better driver visibility.

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9. Most Indian roads have never been audited for safety

Only 8 states have conducted road safety audits covering more than 50% of their national highways, and many states have never performed comprehensive road design evaluations at all. Contrast this with Japan, where every road project undergoes multiple safety audits before, during, and after construction. India must integrate mandatory safety audits into the urban planning process, ensuring that designers, not just contractors and engineers, are involved in road safety assessments.

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10. Designing safer roads is a high-impact career for young designers

Most young designers in India think of architecture, UX, or graphic design as career paths, but road safety design is an overlooked field that offers immense impact. Countries leading in road safety—like the Netherlands, Sweden, and Singapore—have dedicated urban designers specializing in street safety, traffic psychology, and pedestrian planning. India urgently needs designers who think beyond aesthetics—who can build streets that protect lives.

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The future of road safety lies in design thinking

For too long, road safety in India has been framed as an enforcement problem rather than a design challenge. The data from the India Road Safety Status Report 2024 makes it clear: we need better roads, not just stricter laws. The next generation of Indian designers has the power to change this—to rethink how we build cities, roads, and public spaces so that safety becomes an inherent feature, not an afterthought.

Are you ready to design safer streets? 🚦Comment and let me know your thoughts and possible solutions.