Majority of Indians Concerned About Road Safety, Back Wide Range of Measures to Address It: Ipsos Global Mobility Survey 2026

Concern about road safety in India is both widespread and actionable, with a clear majority of citizens backing a broad set of measures to make roads safer. The Ipsos Global Mobility Survey covering 31 markets reveals that 63% of Indians surveyed are concerned about road safety in their area. This places India well above countries such as South Korea and Germany, where concern stands at 36%, though still behind Peru at 76%. 

This concern is matched by consistent support for solutions. Around 63% of Indians support stricter traffic laws, in line with the global average of 66%. Support extends across multiple interventions, with 62% backing enhanced driver education programs and close to two-thirds supporting reduced speed limits across residential streets, main roads, and highways. A similar proportion also supports dedicated cycling lanes, prioritising pedestrians and cyclists in school zones, and the use of road safety campaigns to influence behaviour.

Rather than peaking in one area, public opinion in India shows a consistent pattern of steady support across a wide tranche of measures. This indicates that citizens are not looking for a single fix but recognise the need for a comprehensive approach spanning enforcement, education, infrastructure, and awareness.

Globally, the data reveals sharper contrasts. Countries such as South Africa and Indonesia show significantly higher levels of support, often exceeding 80% across multiple measures, reflecting strong public demand for decisive action. In contrast, countries with more mature road safety systems, such as Japan and Germany, show lower levels of support, in some cases below 50%, suggesting that established norms and safer conditions reduce the perceived need for additional interventions.

India sits between these extremes, combining relatively high concern with broad but measured support for solutions. This positioning highlights both the scale of the challenge and the opportunity to build stronger momentum for change.

Balaji Pandiaraj, Group Head, Automotive Mobility Development & Customer Experience, Ipsos India said, "The findings come at a time when India is intensifying its national focus on road safety through initiatives such as the Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan 2026, led by Mr. Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways. The campaign is designed as a nationwide movement built on four pillars – Discipline, Duty, Shield, and Change – with the aim of transforming road safety into a shared moral responsibility. 

Significantly, Ipsos survey data reveals that 63% of respondents agree that road safety advertising and communication is effective in reducing unsafe driving behavior, underscoring the critical role of awareness campaigns in complementing policy initiatives. This finding reinforces the timeliness and relevance of the Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan's mission to drive behavioral change through sustained communication and collective action."

By combining high tech infrastructure such as zero fatality corridors and AI led enforcement with youth driven education and wider public engagement, the initiative seeks to shift road safety from compliance driven behaviour to voluntary habit formation. Partnerships with schools and public figures are also intended to embed a long term culture of responsible road use.

Commenting on the findings, Balaji Pandiaraj, Group Service Line Leader, Automotive & Mobility Development & Customer Experience, Ipsos India, said, "What stands out in India is the breadth of support. People are backing not just one solution, but a full range of measures from stricter laws to safer road design and better education. This aligns strongly with the direction of national efforts like the Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan. The opportunity now is to convert this broad public support into sustained action and lasting behaviour change."

“In India, over 1.68 lac lives are lost each year to road accidents, underlining the scale of the challenge that public concern and policy action are seeking to address,” added Pandiaraj.

With a majority of Indians both concerned and supportive of multiple interventions, the foundation for progress is clearly in place. The convergence of public sentiment and national policy focus presents a timely opportunity to accelerate efforts to make India’s roads safer for all.

Technical note: For this survey, lpsos interviewed a total of 23,722 adults aged 18 years and older in India, 18-74 in Canada, Republic of Ireland, Malaysia, South Africa, Türkiye, and the United States, 20-74 in Thailand, 21-74 in Indonesia and Singapore, and 16-74 in all other countries.

The sample consists of approximately 1,000 individuals each in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, mainland China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Spain, and the U.S., and 500 individuals each in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Thailand, and Türkiye. The sample in India consists of approximately 2,200 individuals, of whom approximately 1,800 were interviewed face-to-face and 400 were interviewed online.