During festivities, our roads get busier than usual. Speed limits must reflect the road environment, traffic conditions and the people using the road. Context-specific, evidence-based speed management is essential to reducing crash risks and protecting lives. Policymakers and road authorities have a crucial role in ensuring that speed limits are appropriate for the conditions on the ground. This festive season, let context-based speed management be a priority for road safety in India. #RoadSafetyNetwork #Pedestrian #Footpath #UrbanPlanner #Infrastructure #PedestrianSafety #AccessibleStreets #SafeFootpaths #Navratri

We plan every detail of our festivities. Our roads deserve the same thoughtful planning. Safe mobility must be built into road design and development through evidence-based planning, appropriate infrastructure and the needs of every road user. This festive season, let well-planned roads become a priority for road safety in India. #RoadSafetyNetwork #SafeRoads #RoadDesign #SafeInfrastructure #Navratri

We’re delighted to see Outlook India, one of India’s leading publications, featuring the core themes discussed at the Road Safety Network’s national seminar, “Rethinking Urban Speed: Speed Management for Safer, More Livable and Inclusive Cities,” held on October 9 in collaboration with the Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Centre (TRIP Centre) at IIT Delhi and IIT Kharagpur. From context-based speed limits and the Safe System Approach to vulnerable road user safety and road safety action plans, the discussions highlighted the need for evidence-based, people-centred approaches to safer mobility.​ ​ Key recommendations from road safety experts included:​ ​ - Aligning road design, posted speed limits and actual operating speeds.​ - Setting speed limits based on land use and road context.​ - Prioritising pedestrians, cyclists, two-wheeler riders, children and older persons.​ - Strengthening electronic enforcement.​ - Building safer school zones, footpaths and pedestrian crossings.​ - Integrating road safety into urban planning and public transport.​ ​ Ashim Sanyal, Managing Trustee, Consumer VOICE and member of the Road Safety Network, emphasised that safer cities require data-driven, people-centred speed management that integrates effective road engineering, robust enforcement and sound policy measures.​ ​ The seminar highlighted the importance of the Safe System Approach, which recognises that human errors are inevitable and emphasises designing roads and vehicles to prevent these errors from resulting in fatalities or serious injuries.​ ​ Read the full feature: outlookindia.com/healthcare-… ​ ​ Safer Roads Start with Stronger Systems. ​ ​ #RoadSafetyNetwork #VisionZero  #SpeedManagement #SaferRoads

Human errors are inevitable. Serious harm on our roads should not be. A Safe System approach recognises that road design, infrastructure, vehicle safety and appropriate speeds must work together to account for human mistakes and help prevent crashes. This festive season, let protecting lives through a Safe System approach be a priority for road safety in India. #RoadSafetyNetwork #VehicleSafety #RoadDesign #SafeSystem #RoadSafetyPolicy #Navratri

Festive streets should make room for everyone. When footpaths are obstructed or inaccessible, pedestrians can be forced into unsafe situations. Urban planners and local authorities have a vital role in ensuring continuous, accessible and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure. This festive season, let safe and accessible footpaths be a priority for road safety. #RoadSafetyNetwork #Pedestrian #Footpath #UrbanPlanner #Infrastructure #PedestrianSafety #AccessibleStreets #SafeFootpaths #Navratri

Not everyone experiences the road in the same way. Pedestrians, cyclists and two-wheeler riders are more exposed to the impact of crashes and need road systems designed around their safety. Protected spaces, appropriate speeds and safer street design must be integral to road planning. This festive season, let protecting the most vulnerable become a priority for road safety. #RoadSafetyNetwork #Speeding #VulnerableRoadUsers #SafeStreets #SaferRoads #RoadSafety #Navratri

Every child deserves a safe journey this festive season. Making child safety a priority means strengthening awareness, access to appropriate child restraint systems (CRS), and the measures that protect children travelling in cars. This Navratri, let’s put child protection at the heart of road safety in India. #RoadSafetyNetwork #ChildTravel #ChildRoadSafety #ChildRestraintSystem #SafeSystem #Navratri

Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group (CAG), a member organisation of the Road Safety Network (RSN), convened the Tamil Nadu Road Safety Conference 2026 in Chennai, bringing stakeholders together under the theme “From Mission to Action.” ​ Following the announcement of the State’s Road Safety Mission, the conference brought together government departments, enforcement agencies, technical experts, researchers and civil society organisations from across Tamil Nadu to discuss how the Mission’s objectives can translate into coordinated, measurable action on the ground.​ ​ The inaugural session was presided over by Mr. K. Phanindra Reddy, IAS (Retd.), Chairperson, TNRERA; Dr Shamoondeswari, IPS, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Traffic; and Dr Venkatesh Balasubramanian, Professor and Head, Centre for Road Excellence, IIT Madras.​ ​ “Roads must be designed to enforce safe speeds, rather than relying only on signboards. Better road engineering, effective regulatory enforcement, safer pedestrian crossings and adequate street lighting are essential,” said Mr. K. Phanindra Reddy IAS (Retd.), Chairperson, TNRERA. @iitmadras

At the National Seminar on "Rethinking Urban Speed: Speed Management for Safer, More Livable and Inclusive Cities," SarikaPanda Bhatt, director of Nagarro and Founder Trustee of Raahgiri Foundation, highlighted the role speed plays on urban roads where pedestrians, cyclists and rickshaws share space with cars and trucks.​ When slow and fast-moving traffic mix, speed determines how severe a crash can be. The human body is not built to withstand high-impact collisions, which makes safe speeds essential for protecting every road user.​ As Sarika notes, speed management is one of the most immediately implementable road safety measures, requiring no major infrastructure changes. Highways passing through urban areas also need to be treated as urban roads, with speeds that reflect their surroundings. #RoadSafety #SpeedManagement #SaferStreets #SafeSystem #UrbanMobility #RoadSafetyNetwork ​ @IITKgp

Speed shapes more than how quickly we arrive. It can determine how severely a person is injured when a crash occurs. Safe speed limits work best when they account for the road, the people using it and what the human body can withstand. ​ ​ Context-specific speed management is one part of the Safe System Approach that India is moving towards, alongside safer road design, effective enforcement and post-crash care. It was one of the areas examined when NHAI and the National Road Safety Board reviewed road safety across the National Highway network, pointing to the need to strengthen safety through the Safe System Approach. Seven years after the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, this is an important part of what comes next. ​ ​ From Policy to Practice: building the systems that make safer roads possible. Read more: pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIfram… #SpeedManagement #RoadSafety #SafeSystemsApproach #RoadSafetyNetwork @CMOTamilnadu

At the National Seminar on "Rethinking Urban Speed: Speed Management for Safer, More Livable and Inclusive Cities," DrRutul Joshi, Professor, CEPT University, highlighted the need to plan highways and city streets as two different environments.​ Highways prioritise mobility between cities. Urban roads, however, need to prioritise accessibility, with transit zones, betterstreet design and easy access to public transport.​ As Dr Joshi explains, speeds coming off the highway need to drop as vehicles enter the city, with operating speeds on urbanroads potentially as low as 20 to 30 km/h. Planning this transition well can enhance livability, transit access and safety foreveryone on the road.​ #RoadSafety #SpeedManagement #SaferStreets #SafeSystem #UrbanMobility #RoadSafetyNetwork​ @IITKgp

On Gandhi Jayanti, we reflect on Sarvodaya, the welfare of all. On the road, that means systems designed to protect every user. Seven years on from the MVA, India is moving towards a Safe System. ​ #GandhiJayanti #RoadSafety #SafeSystem ​#MVAA

Seven years of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act call for a renewed focus on implementation, institutional accountability and safer infrastructure for all road users. Deccan Chronicle’s coverage of RSN’s road safety roundtable features insights from Prof. Geetam Tiwari (IIT Delhi), Ranjit Gadgil (Parisar), Pankhuri Jain (Blue Ribbon Movement), Shubham Kumar (CrashFree India), Dr. Gautham Melur Sukumar (NIMHANS) and Saurabh Verma (Synergie). The discussion brought focus to speed management, pedestrian safety, technical capacity, emergency response and road safety in smaller towns and rural areas. Read the full coverage in Deccan Chronicle: deccanchronicle.com/amp/nati… #RoadSafety #MVAct #RoadSafetyImplementation #SaferRoadsStartWithStrongerSystems

Seven years after the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, experts call for stronger implementation, safer road design and stricter speed management. The Hindu’s coverage of RSN’s road safety roundtable highlights perspectives from Prof. Geetam Tiwari (IIT Delhi), Ranjit Gadgil (Parisar), Shubham Kumar (CrashFree India), Dr. Gautham Melur Sukumar (NIMHANS) and others on speed-sensitive road design, pedestrian infrastructure, institutional accountability and stronger post-crash response. Read the full coverage in The Hindu: thehindu.com/news/cities/Del… #RoadSafety #MVAct #SpeedManagement #SaferRoadsStartWithStrongerSystems

Road Safety Network, in collaboration with IIT Delhi’s Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Centre (TRIP Centre) and IIT Kharagpur, conducted the National Seminar on “Rethinking Urban Speed: Speed Management for Safer, More Livable and Inclusive Cities” in New Delhi. It brought together policymakers, researchers, public health experts and road safety practitioners to examine what safer urban mobility requires. ​ The discussions highlighted the need to align design speed, posted speed and actual operating speed, while prioritising pedestrians, cyclists and two-wheeler users.

We thank Dr Nitin R. Gokarn, Chairman, National Road Safety Board; Mahmood Ahmed, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways; Prof. Geetam Tiwari; Prof. Rahul Goel; Prof. Bhargab Maitra; Dr Gautham M. Sukumar; Dr Mohammed Asheel B; Ranjit Gadgil; Ashim Sanyal; S. Saroja and all the speakers, experts and partners who contributed to the conversation. Together, the discussions reinforced an important road safety priority: safer speeds, safer streets and stronger systems foreveryone. ​ #RoadSafety #SpeedManagement #SafeSystem #SaferCities #UrbanMobility #RoadSafetyNetwork @IITKgp

Seven years after the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, experts and stakeholders came together to examine what has changed on India’s roads and what needs to happen next. ​ ​ The Road Safety Network (RSN) convened a media roundtable bringing together journalists and road safety experts for a focused discussion on the implementation of the Act and the road safety priorities that need greater attention. The conversation highlighted the need for stronger speed management, safer infrastructure, better child safety measures, effective enforcement and greater accountability. ​ As India works towards safer roads, the discussion reinforced the importance of translating legislation into stronger systems, consistent implementation and measurable road safety outcomes. #RoadSafety #MVAct #RoadSafetyNetwork #SaferRoadsStartWithStrongerSystems @NIMHANS_BLR

Is an adult seat belt enough to protect a child? The answer is no.​ Adult seat belts are designed for adult body proportions, while ChildRestraint Systems (CRS), or child seats, are designed around a child’sage, height, and weight to provide age-appropriate protection.​ ​ Strengthening the use of Child Restraint Systems, supported by clear standards and effective enforcement, can help improve child passenger safety.​ Saurabh Verma, Co-Founder, Synergie, and Veena, Senior ProgramManager, Strategic Engagements, Synergie, make the case for strongerchild road safety measures.​ #ChildRestraintSystem #ChildRoadSafety #NoChildLeftUnsafe #RoadSafetyNetwork