Road Safety Rules in India for Drivers, Riders, Pedestrians and Kids

Road safety rules: 10 points to remember

1. Wear a helmet on every two-wheeler ride. It is required for every rider and pillion above four years of age (Section 129).
2. Wear a seat belt in the front and back. The driver must make sure every occupant wears one where provided (Regulation 5(7)).
3. Put young children in a child seat. A child up to 12 years must sit in a child restraint system where one is provided (Regulation 5(8)).
4. Keep your phone away. Handheld devices may be used only for route navigation, without distracting the driver (in force from 1 October 2020).
5. Never drink and drive. Drunk or drugged driving can lead to a fine of ₹10,000, imprisonment, or both, for a first offence (Section 185).
6. Keep within speed limits, and slow to 25 km/h or less near signed schools, hospitals and construction sites (Regulation 16).
7. Keep a safe distance from the vehicle ahead and avoid sudden braking (Regulation 17).
8. Give way to pedestrians at uncontrolled crossings and never drive on footpaths (Regulation 39).
9. Make way for ambulances and fire engines, and keep at least 50 metres behind them (Regulation 27).
10. Help accident victims. Good Samaritans are protected by law (Section 134A).

Road safety rules for car drivers

• Seat belts for all. The driver is responsible for making sure he and all occupants wear seat belts where provided. Driving without a seat belt, or carrying passengers who are not wearing one, carries a fine of ₹1,000 under Section 194B(1).
• Child restraint. Not securing a child under 14 with a seat belt or child restraint carries a ₹1,000 fine under Section 194B(2).
• No distractions. No handheld phone except for navigation, no loud music and no videos other than navigation (Regulations 5 and 37).
• Keep left and stay in lane. Signal before changing lanes and overtake only from the right when the road ahead is clear (Regulations 4, 6 and 14).
• Junction discipline. Slow down at intersections and do not enter one that is blocked (Regulation 9).
• Breakdowns. Switch on hazard lights and, on fast roads, place warning triangles 50 m behind the vehicle (Regulation 28).
• Level crossings. Trains have priority. Never enter when gates are closing or the signal is red (Regulation 19).

Road safety rules for two-wheeler riders

Riders and pillion riders are the most exposed people on the road, so the helmet rule matters most here.

• Helmet for rider and pillion. Section 129, brought into force on 15 February 2022, requires every person above four years of age driving or riding a motorcycle to wear protective headgear meeting the prescribed standards. It does not apply to a Sikh wearing a turban. Riding without a helmet carries a ₹1,000 fine and disqualification of the licence for 3 months (Section 194D).
• Children below four. A child below four on a motorcycle must use a safety harness and a crash helmet, and the motorcycle must not go faster than 40 km/h (Rule 138 as amended in 2022).
• Only one pillion. Carrying more than one pillion breaks Section 128. Section 194C sets a ₹1,000 fine and 3 months' disqualification.
• Both hands on the handlebar (Regulation 5).
• Headlights on. Two-wheelers use dipped headlights in daytime (Regulation 31).
• Lane filtering is allowed only in urban areas where signed, on roads up to 40 km/h, and when the speed difference is 15 km/h or less (Regulation 33).

Planning to ride legally? Our two wheeler licence guide explains how to get your licence.

Road safety rules for pedestrians

The law places duties on drivers to protect pedestrians. Drivers must give way at uncontrolled pedestrian crossings and must not drive on footpaths or cycle tracks unless directed (Regulation 39). Vehicles must not stop on a pedestrian crossing or within 5 m before it, and must not park on footpaths or crossings (Regulation 22). When the light turns green, drivers must still give way to pedestrians already crossing (Regulation 12).

The following are general safety habits for people on foot, not legal rules:

1. Use the footpath. Where there is none, walk at the edge of the road facing oncoming traffic so you can see it.
2. Cross at zebra crossings, subways or foot overbridges where available.
3. Look right, left and right again before crossing, and keep looking while you cross.
4. Do not cross between parked vehicles or close to a bend where drivers cannot see you.
5. Put your phone away and remove earphones while crossing.
6. At night, wear light or reflective clothing.
7. Never jump over road dividers or railings.

Road safety rules for kids and students

Children are covered by specific legal protections:

Basic road safety rules for kids (simple version)

These easy points work well for class projects, charts and posters:

1. Always hold an adult's hand when crossing the road.
2. Stop, look and listen before you cross.
3. Cross only at a zebra crossing or where a traffic police officer helps you.
4. Walk on the footpath, never on the road.
5. Wear a helmet on a scooter or bike, even for a short ride.
6. Wear your seat belt in the car and in the school van.
7. Get in and out of the school bus only when it has fully stopped.
8. Never play on or near the road.
9. Red means stop, green means go only when the road is clear.
10. Do not distract the driver.

Students can learn the road signs chart and the traffic light rules next.

Speed: the limits and why they matter

MoRTH set the maximum speeds by S.O. 1522(E) dated 6 April 2018. For cars with up to 8 seats plus the driver (M1), the limits are 120 km/h on access-controlled expressways, 100 km/h on four-lane or wider divided highways and 70 km/h within municipal limits and other roads. For two-wheelers they are 80 km/h on expressways (only where permitted), 80 km/h on divided highways and 60 km/h on municipal and other roads. State Governments and UT administrations enforce these limits.

Near construction sites, schools and hospitals where signs indicate, and on roads without footpaths where people walk on the carriageway, the limit is 25 km/h or lower if signed (Regulation 16).

Over-speeding a light motor vehicle carries a fine of ₹1,000 to ₹2,000, and a medium or heavy vehicle ₹2,000 to ₹4,000. On a second or subsequent offence the licence can be impounded (Section 183).

If you see a road accident

Helping quickly can save a life, and the law protects people who help.

• Good Samaritan protection. Under Section 134A, a Good Samaritan is not liable to civil or criminal action for injury or death of an accident victim, unless caused by their own negligence while helping.
• Rah-Veer reward. The reward for a good samaritan under the Rah-Veer scheme was raised from ₹5,000 to ₹25,000 per incident by revised guidelines of 21 April 2025.
• Cashless treatment. The Cashless Treatment of Road Accident Victims Scheme, 2025 (S.O. 2015(E), 5 May 2025) covers up to ₹1.5 lakh per victim for up to 7 days at designated hospitals.

Penalties for unsafe driving at a glance

These amounts are from the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019. States notify their own compounding amounts, so the amount collected on the spot can differ. See traffic fines for the full list.