India, April 20 -- The Supreme Court's recent ruling that makes highway safety a part of the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution comes against a specific backdrop: Though road accident fatalities - preventable in many cases - have seen a general trend of decline in India, they still clock a high annual number (over 160,000 in 2025). Highway safety and accident prevention, therefore, remain a major concern for policy.

The court underlining the State's positive obligation in preserving life by preventing road accidents and deaths is significant for at least two reasons. One, it restates the accountability of the State, as the primary provider of road infrastructure, in ensuring safety. From planning to design and from execut...