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Road Safety Month and the Crisis of Unqualified Drivers

by Editorial Team
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Road Safety Month and the Crisis of Unqualified Drivers

As India observes National Road Safety Month, the irony is hard to ignore. Despite government campaigns and awareness drives, our roads remain among the deadliest in the world. A key reason behind this crisis is not just reckless driving or poor infrastructure but the rampant corruption in the licensing system. The ease with which unqualified individuals obtain driving licenses—sometimes without ever sitting behind the wheel—has turned our roads into a battleground of incompetence, negligence, and fatal accidents.
A driving license should be proof of skill, knowledge, and responsibility. However, in many parts of the country, it has become a mere document, often obtained through bribes, political influence, or fraudulent testing processes. Those who do not even know how to drive are getting licenses, while those who lack competence are being cleared without proper testing. The consequences are devastating. Untrained drivers cause accidents, leading to thousands of preventable deaths and injuries every year. According to government reports, human error accounts for over 70% of road accidents, a significant portion of which can be attributed to drivers who never should have been licensed in the first place.
Adding to the crisis is the poor condition of roads in India, especially in rural areas. Pothole-ridden highways, uneven surfaces, and poorly maintained roads turn even minor trips into dangerous journeys. During monsoons, roads often become waterlogged, hiding potholes that cause vehicles to lose control. Road signage is either missing or unclear, while unlit stretches make night driving treacherous. Pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists suffer the most due to the lack of basic infrastructure like sidewalks or proper dividers. These unsafe conditions, combined with untrained drivers, further amplify the risk of fatal accidents.
The corruption in the licensing system operates at multiple levels. In many Regional Transport Offices (RTOs), touts openly offer a “guaranteed” license in exchange for money, bypassing both theoretical and practical tests. Even driving schools, meant to train new drivers, often collude with officials to secure licenses for students who have not demonstrated adequate driving skills. The result is a flood of drivers on Indian roads who lack even basic road sense, let alone the ability to handle emergencies.
The failure of this system is evident in the statistics. Every year, India reports over 1.5 lakh road accident deaths, with lakhs more injured or disabled. While road infrastructure and vehicle conditions contribute to this crisis, the presence of unqualified drivers significantly increases the risk of collisions. The situation is further worsened by weak enforcement of traffic laws. Even when untrained drivers are caught violating rules, they often escape with minor penalties or bribes, reinforcing the cycle of negligence and corruption.
The government’s efforts to improve road safety, such as increasing fines under the Motor Vehicles Act, implementing electronic monitoring, and launching awareness campaigns, are commendable. However, these measures will remain ineffective if the licensing process itself remains compromised. A stricter and more transparent system must be enforced, starting with digital monitoring of driving tests, where every step of the process is recorded to prevent manipulation. The use of artificial intelligence to evaluate driving skills, rather than relying on human discretion alone, could also reduce corruption.
Moreover, accountability in RTOs must be increased. Officials found issuing licenses through unfair means should face strict penalties, including dismissal and legal action. Driving schools must be regulated more rigorously, ensuring that they focus on skill-building rather than merely acting as intermediaries for licenses. Public vigilance is equally important—those who witness malpractices in licensing should report them to authorities and demand reforms.
Road safety is not just about obeying traffic rules; it begins with ensuring that only competent individuals are allowed to drive. If the government is serious about reducing accidents and saving lives, cleaning up the licensing process must be a top priority. Otherwise, National Road Safety Month will remain an annual ritual, with no real change on the ground.

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