Time To Act Now

Road safety has quietly grown into one of the most serious public safety challenges in Jammu and Kashmir, claiming lives on a scale that rarely provokes sustained outrage or policy debate. The recent three-week special enforcement drive by the Jammu and Kashmir Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) must therefore be seen not as a routine administrative exercise, but as a necessary response to an escalating crisis on the region’s roads.

The scale of violations detected during the drive is deeply troubling. Hundreds of driving licences were either suspended or disqualified, underscoring how frequently traffic laws are flouted with impunity. Offences such as overspeeding, wrong-side driving, riding without helmets, ignoring seat belts, illegal parking and even driving by minors have become commonplace. This normalisation of risk-taking reflects a dangerous erosion of road discipline and respect for the law.

The broader context makes the situation even more alarming. Jammu and Kashmir recorded 28,510 road accidents between 2020 and 2024, resulting in 4,031 deaths. Overspeeding remains the single largest cause of both accidents and fatalities. These figures reveal a sustained and unacceptable loss of life that continues year after year, cutting across districts and demographics.

Public transport safety, rightly brought under scrutiny during the drive, deserves particular attention. Buses carry the daily hopes and routines of thousands of commuters, and any negligence by operators can have devastating consequences. Regular inspections and uncompromising enforcement in this sector are essential, not optional. Equally significant was the decision to act against habitual offenders and individuals involved in serious criminal and NDPS cases. Road safety cannot be divorced from overall public safety; allowing repeat offenders behind the wheel endangers everyone.

Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the road safety crisis is how quietly it unfolds. The annual death toll from road accidents in Jammu and Kashmir far exceeds fatalities caused by terrorism, yet it rarely commands comparable public or political attention. Each statistic represents a life lost, a family shattered, and a future erased—often without the sustained discourse such tragedies demand.

The special emphasis on school transport safety is therefore a critical and commendable measure. Children are among the most vulnerable road users, and safeguarding them must be a non-negotiable priority.

While enforcement drives are vital, they cannot be one-off events. They must be backed by consistent awareness campaigns, better road engineering, and a stronger culture of civic responsibility. Traffic regulations exist to protect lives, not to inconvenience motorists. The recent MVD drive serves as a stark reminder: road safety is a shared responsibility, and ignoring it carries a human cost Jammu and Kashmir can no longer afford.