Supreme Court of India on Wednesday directed all states and Union Territories to immediately enforce provisions under the Central Motor Vehicle Rules requiring passenger transport vehicles to be equipped with speed governors, vehicle location tracking devices, and emergency panic buttons.
A bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan was hearing a public interest litigation focused on road safety reforms when it observed that key safety rules under the CMVR are being widely ignored across the country.
The court remarked that encouraging proper lane discipline could significantly reduce accidents and stressed that the government must work on improving driving practices, even if many drivers may not be formally educated.
During the hearing, the bench was informed that parliamentary data from 2024 showed fewer than 5 percent of transport vehicles are fitted with speed-limiting devices, while vehicle location tracking systems are installed in less than 1 percent of vehicles.
The court ruled that public service vehicles violating these requirements should not receive fitness certificates or operational permits.
It also directed states and Union Territories to submit updated compliance reports regarding the installation of speed-limiting devices under Rule 118 of the CMVR.
The bench further instructed the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to hold consultations with manufacturers so that all new vehicles come pre-equipped with speed governors, tracking systems, and panic buttons. States were also asked to retrofit existing vehicles with these safety devices.
In addition, the court ordered all compliance data to be integrated with the centralized VAHAN portal.
Calling the current situation alarming, the bench noted that the extremely low installation rate of vehicle tracking systems was deeply concerning.
Senior advocate Gaurav Agarwal, assisting the court as amicus curiae, pointed out that the government had already issued the Vehicle Location Tracking Device and Emergency Button Order in 2018 to improve emergency response systems.
He explained that the tracking devices use GPS technology to continuously transmit a vehicle’s location to government-operated or licensed control centers. The system is designed specifically for public transport vehicles and can help authorities quickly trace a vehicle during emergencies such as abduction, hijacking, or medical distress.
Agarwal added that panic buttons allow passengers to instantly alert police control rooms or women’s safety centers, enabling emergency assistance to be dispatched immediately.
He also highlighted that non-compliance attracts significant penalties under the Motor Vehicles Act. Violations of Rule 125H can result in fines of up to ₹10,000, while manufacturers or dealers supplying non-compliant vehicles may face penalties reaching ₹1 lakh. Authorities also have the power to detain and impound such vehicles.
The matter has now been posted for September, with the court directing the Centre to file an updated compliance report before the next hearing.
The Supreme Court has already issued several directions in the ongoing proceedings aimed at improving road safety, including measures for cashless treatment of accident victims, timely medical care during the critical golden hour period, compensation mechanisms for hit and run cases, and increased use of electronic surveillance systems such as speed cameras, CCTV networks, speed guns, automatic number plate recognition systems, and speed governors.
According to figures submitted by the ministry to Parliament in December 2025, India recorded more than 480,583 road accidents in 2023, resulting in 172,890 deaths. In comparison, 2022 saw 461,312 accidents and 168,491 fatalities.
Government data also revealed widespread non-compliance with motor vehicle regulations. Out of 21.8 million transport vehicles nationwide, only around 1.07 million had mandatory speed-limiting devices installed. The records also showed that out of 385 million registered vehicles, only 175 million currently hold valid insurance coverage.
Among the states, Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of road accident deaths at 23,652, accounting for 13.7 percent of total fatalities nationwide. Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra followed with 18,347 and 15,366 deaths, respectively.
Among major cities, Delhi reported the highest number of fatalities at 1,457, followed by Bengaluru with 915 and Jaipur with 850.
