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Institutional ‘comprehensive recklessness’ fuelling UP’s road safety crisis: Expert
Addressing the inaugural session, Rohit Baluja, president of the Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE), said road crashes in India are not merely the result of driver error but stem from what he termed “comprehensive recklessness” across institutions, where multiple departments simultaneously fail in their responsibilities. He said accident investigations routinely blame drivers while ignoring damaged roads, missing signage, poor road markings and lax vehicle fitness checks.
Weak enforcement, absence of scientific accident investigations and comprehensive recklessness across multiple government institutions are fuelling Uttar Pradesh’s road safety crisis, an expert told state officials at a two-day workshop on road safety management for the state officers that concluded on Tuesday.
According to the transport department’s road accident data presented in a meeting of the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety on February 5, 2025, a total of 46,052 road accidents were recorded in 2024, leading to 24,118 deaths and leaving thousands injured.
Addressing the inaugural session, Rohit Baluja, president of the Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE), said road crashes in India are not merely the result of driver error but stem from what he termed “comprehensive recklessness” across institutions, where multiple departments simultaneously fail in their responsibilities. He said accident investigations routinely blame drivers while ignoring damaged roads, missing signage, poor road markings and lax vehicle fitness checks.
Citing several fatal bus accidents, including fire-related incidents, Baluja said serious violations often come to light only after tragedies. In one case, a sleeper bus permitted to carry 45 passengers was found transporting over 60, including children. “Such violations are possible only when enforcement fails,” he said.
Baluja pointed out that accident investigations in India lack scientific rigour, allowing institutional responsibility to escape scrutiny. “Road conditions are not questioned, vehicle fitness is ignored and the driver alone is blamed. The moment investigations become scientific, accountability of every department will surface,” he said.
The IRTE president also noted the absence of clearly defined responsibilities among agencies involved in road safety. “One authority installs traffic lights, another paints road markings, and a third erects signboards. When an accident occurs, everyone passes the blame,” he added.
On driving licences, Baluja acknowledged the heavy workload on RTO officials but stressed the need to streamline and strictly monitor the process. He said fog should not be treated as a cause of accidents. “Fog is a condition. Crashes happen due to missing reflectors, poor markings and non-reflective signboards,” he said.
Organised by the state transport department, the programme brought together officials from the public works department (PWD), regional transport offices (RTOs) and other enforcement agencies to sensitise them on scientific road safety planning, effective enforcement and professional accident investigation.
