Archive · 5 Aug 2026
Gadkari urges driver training to stem 1.8 lakh road deaths
Every year, about 180,000 people in India die in road accidents, which is a huge number.
A government leader named Nitin Gadkari said this is very painful.
He thinks the most important reason is human behaviour, meaning how people choose to drive.
He said drivers need good training so they follow lane discipline and traffic rules.
Another leader, Sudha Murty, asked if there is a fair and transparent way to give out driving licences.
She said many drivers get their licences through dishonest, 'backhand' channels.
She added that there is no video proof showing how they passed their driving tests.
She also said very young, underage drivers sometimes drive without understanding the dangers.
The leaders agree that better training and honest tests can help make roads safer.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said India records about 1.8 lakh (180,000) road-accident deaths every year.
He stressed the need for scientific training of drivers in lane discipline and traffic rules, saying human behaviour is the most important cause of accidents.
His remarks came in response to a question by nominated Rajya Sabha member Sudha Murty during Question Hour on Wednesday.
Murty asked whether the government has any procedure or new scheme to bring transparency to the method of issuing driving licences.
Speaking to PTI, Murty said drivers often obtain licences through 'backhand channels' with no video proof of driving tests, and that underage drivers steer vehicles without understanding the consequences.
- Who
- Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and nominated Rajya Sabha member Sudha Murty
- What
- A parliamentary exchange on the need for better driver training and transparency in issuing driving licences to reduce road accident deaths
- When
- Wednesday, during Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha
- Where
- The Rajya Sabha, the upper house of India's Parliament
- Why
- Road accidents cause about 1.8 lakh (180,000) deaths every year in India, with human behaviour and poorly trained drivers cited as key factors
- Minister
- Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways
- Annual road-accident deaths
- Approximately 1,80,000 (1.8 lakh) per year
- Venue
- Rajya Sabha, during Question Hour
- Question raised by
- Sudha Murty, nominated Rajya Sabha member
- Key cause cited
- Human behaviour; need for good driver training on lane discipline and traffic rules
- Murty's concern
- No transparency in licence issuance; licences obtained through 'backhand channels'; underage drivers
- Day
- Wednesday