NEW DELHI: Across major metropolitan cities, urban streets have become theatres of risk. Drivers swerving dangerously, bikers speeding and citizens flaunting basic rules of the road. The consequences are visible: accidents, near-misses and growing frustration among those who share the roads.While traffic rules exist on paper, enforcement often struggles to keep pace with the fast-moving, crowded reality of Indian streets. Civic sense — the unspoken code of mutual respect, patience and self-restraint — seems to be fading. From large cities like Delhi and Bengaluru to smaller towns, dangerous road behaviour is no longer isolated or rare.Here are just a few examples of many that go unnoticed.
Zig-zag mayhem on NH-48
On 18 January, a video went viral on social media showing an SUV weaving through heavy traffic on National Highway-48 near Narela, North Delhi. The driver, 21-year-old Daud Ansari, zig-zagged through vehicles with little regard for others’ safety.Police responded quickly: the SUV was intercepted, impounded, and Ansari arrested under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Motor Vehicles Act. His licence was confiscated.
Stunts , speeding and more
Delhi-NCR has witnessed other alarming trends over the past year. Groups of young men have been recorded performing high-speed stunts, swerving through traffic, and even standing out of sunroofs. Wrong-side driving — locally known as driving against traffic flow — remains a persistent problem. For instance, Rohini Sector 23 alone recorded more than 2,000 such violations over a short period.Also read: With 2k wrong-side driving cases, Rohini tops the listNight-time speeding by motorcyclists, with nearly half exceeding legal limits, compounds the danger.In Bengaluru, roads tell a similar story. Beyond traffic jams, streets have become stages for dangerous driving and noise pollution. Recently, authorities booked the owner of a Lamborghini in Kengeri after dashcam footage showed the car speeding recklessly through city streets. The vehicle’s loud, faulty silencer added to the scrutiny.These incidents raise questions about responsibility and civic awareness.
Recent accidents across country
Other recent incidents show how quickly small errors or aggressive driving can turn fatal. In Kundapur, Karnataka, a motorcyclist overtaking at high speed collided with a private bus, suffering fatal head injuries. Police registered a case under rash driving and negligence.In Ahmedabad, an AMTS bus on SG Highway reportedly suffered brake failure, colliding with a school van, an autorickshaw, and other vehicles. Drivers were injured, and CCTV footage went viral, leading to FIRs and fines for rash driving. The bus driver was terminated by authorities.Even ceremonial streets are not immune. Just before Republic Day rehearsals in Kolkata, a speeding car crashed into guardrails on Red Road. The driver ignored police instructions and attempted to flee. No injuries were reported, but the incident revived memories of a similar deadly crash at the same spot in 2016.‘It’s about the mindset’Reckless driving, officials argue, is not only about the vehicle on the road but also about the mindset behind the wheel. In 2025, Haryana Director General of Police OP Singh stirred a controversy during a press interaction in Gurgaon when he linked certain vehicles — particularly Mahindra Thar SUVs and Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycles — to stunt-driven behaviour, saying they were often ridden by “goons”. “Whoever has a Thar, their mind must be twisted. Thar is not a vehicle, it’s a statement that we are like this. All the goons ride it. Meaning, the kind of vehicle shows the mindset.”
The choice of car shows the mindset of a person. Whoever has a Thar, his mind would not be in its right place. Thar is not a car. It is a statement.
OP Singh
The comments prompted a backlash. A Gurgaon Thar owner sent a legal notice, claiming the remarks were defamatory and humiliating, arguing that vehicle ownership should not define one’s character or driving behaviour.Air Force aspirant killed by speeding Thar The dangers of overspeeding came into sharp focus in Jaipur this week when an 18-year-old girl was killed after being hit by a speeding Thar while standing by the roadside. The incident occurred on the Express Highway near Shanti Bagh under the Kardhani police station limits. The victim, Anaya Sharma, a resident of Jhunjhunu district who lived in Jhotwara, was preparing for physical recruitment tests for the armed forces, police said. She had gone for a morning jog with a friend, but stopped by the roadside when her companion fell behind. Moments later, an overspeeding Mahindra Thar coming from the 200-Feet Ajmer Road side rammed into her, killing her on the spot.Meanwhile, citizens are witnessing the dangers firsthand.‘You never know who is about to take a risk’Speaking to TOI, Rohan Sareen, a tech company employee, described the hazards of daily commuting, especially at night. Just two days ago, he saw an SUV collide with a hatchback and flee, driving on the wrong side. A month prior, a group of people in a speeding car stopped beside another vehicle — apparently their own — and assaulted an innocent driver near Best Tech Business Tower on Sona Road.“High-speed driving on city roads makes even routine travel dangerous,” Sareen said. “You never know who is about to take a risk that could endanger everyone around them.”Such eyewitness accounts underline that civic sense is not just about rules but about respect for fellow commuters’ safety. They also illustrate a pattern seen across country: the ordinary citizen bears the brunt of reckless behaviour, while enforcement often lags behind the pace of incidents.Beyond speed, a infrastructural crisis Danger on roads is not limited to individual choices. Poor infrastructure, neglected potholes, faulty signage, and inadequate lighting exacerbate the problem. In Bengaluru, for example, roads deteriorate faster than repairs can be made. Inadequate maintenance, combined with aggressive driving, creates a recipe for accidents.The issues are intertwined: weak civic awareness, enforcement gaps, and infrastructure shortcomings amplify risks for pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and public transport users alike. Authorities face a dual challenge: managing behaviour and upgrading infrastructure, all while urban populations swell and vehicle numbers grow exponentially.A change is essentialFrom small towns to megacities, India’s streets reveal a common thread — everyday negligence compounded by disregard for civic norms. Experts note that long-term solutions require more than fines or vehicle impoundments. Road safety campaigns, civic education, stricter licensing procedures and proactive policing must complement enforcement. Public awareness campaigns that emphaise shared responsibility — that the road is a space for everyone, not a personal arena — are crucial.Citizens like Rohan Sareen demonstrate that vigilance and advocacy play a role but systemic change is essential. Every accident avoided, every stunt curtailed and every reckless decision corrected adds a measure of safety for millions who rely on urban streets daily.Without stronger civic sense, enforcement and infrastructure, the gamble with speed and recklessness will continue, leaving commuters, pedestrians and the public at risk.
