On March 14, a brutal collision between a speeding Volkswagen Virtus and two two-wheelers in Gujarat’s Vadodara district, killed one woman and injured seven others. The driver responsible, Rakshit Chaurasiya, a law student, was found overspeeding.
Once Chaurasiya got out of the vehicle, he reportedly shouted “another round, another round” and “om namah shivay”. He is currently in police custody.
Eyewitnesses said he appeared drunk – a claim Chaurasiya has denied. A rapid test kit has confirmed the presence of drugs in his blood. His blood sample has been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory. Vikas Kewalani, who was injured in the accident, has demanded strict actions against the accused. The police have so far registered a drink and drive case against him or a ‘DUI’ under Section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act.
As India saw a 4.2 percent rise in accidents and a 2.6 percent rise in deaths in 2023 as compared to 2022, with overspeeding as a leading cause, these incidents reflect a deeper issue – a disturbing trend of reckless driving among young individuals, fueled by a combination of social media clout, lenient legal repercussions, and a growing culture of impunity. Moreover, experts and police highlight an apparent disregard for public safety, exacerbated by poor enforcement of traffic laws and a lack of accountability for high-profile offenders, say police and experts.
What the numbers say
In 2020, there were 120,176 cases of deaths due to negligence relating to road accidents and this number shot up to 150,998 in 2022, latest NCRB data revealed. There were 41,196 hit-and-run cases, resulting in 45,229 deaths. This figure has shot up to 47,806 and 50,815 for victims in 2022. Overspeeding accounted for 51.5 percent (8,223 out of 15,968 deaths) of total deaths due to road accidents in 2022.
On an average, India witnessed 1,263 road crashes and 461 deaths every day or 53 crashes and 19 deaths every hour.
In 2022, the conviction rate for hit-and-run cases where trials were completed was 47.95 percent. For deaths due to negligence in road accidents, it was a mere 21.8 percent. Over 90 percent of both hit-and-run and negligence-related cases remain pending in courts for over a year.
Government payouts to victims have also significantly dropped. In 2021-22, 773 claims were settled, totaling Rs 1.84 crore. However, in 2022-23, the number of claims paid fell sharply to just 78, amounting to Rs 1.47 crore. One of the reasons for this is low awareness about compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act. In 2024, the Supreme Court issued guidelines to rectify this and said that it’s the job of the police to raise awareness regarding this to the victims.
Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra had the highest deaths due to negligence relating to road accidents, at, 21392, 18597, 14,999 , while Meghalaya and Mizoram had the lowest deaths, at 80 and 90, respectively in 2022.
Flexing for social media
Inspector Rakesh Kumar of Sarai Khwaja Faridabad said that this growing impunity is possibly due to the consumption of movies that glorify stunts by bikers or cars.
At the same time, there is a growing trend of showcasing drunk and reckless driving on social media for viral content.
Last year, YouTuber Rajat Dalal, known for his fitness vlogs and participation in the reality show Bigg Boss 18, was booked for rash driving in Faridabad. The video of the incident was uploaded on YouTube. Dalal was charged under IPC sections 279 and 336 and is currently out on bail.
Similar cases have been reported in Noida too. In January 2023, three youths were caught driving rashly for Instagram reels. Only one was booked under IPC section 279 for rash driving, while all three were arrested as part of preventive action under section 151 of the CrPC – where the police can arrest without a warrant or a magistrate’s order if they suspect the accused can commit a cognizable offense – and fined Rs 25,000. In May, a young man named Prince Mavi was seen performing stunts in his Thar to startle passersby for social video views. He was fined Rs 35,000.
In 2024, two intoxicated youths in Jaisalmer were filming themselves speeding on Instagram when they crashed into two pedestrians, killing a 13-year-old boy and his mother. The car also rammed into another vehicle injuring two children. Two passengers in the speeding car also lost their lives. There is no available information on any legal action taken against the car’s driver who survived. Newslaundry reached out to the current SP in Jaisalmer, who took up the post after the incident took place, but he refused to comment on the issue.
YouTuber Joravar Singh Kalsi and his friend were arrested in 2023 in Gurugram for reckless driving while attempting to recreate a scene from the series Farzi. They were booked under IPC sections 279 and 336, along with section 283 (obstruction in a public way) at the Sushant Lok police station.
But what is the police doing about it?
Significant amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act came in 2019 in the form of increased penalties for traffic violations, stricter road safety measures and enhanced accountability in the transport sector. It also raised the fines for offenses such as drunk driving, overspeeding, and not wearing seat belts, in order to deter reckless behaviour.
But Piyush Tewari, founder and CEO of SaveLIFE Foundation, a non-profit that’s dedicated to road safety, emergency response and legal reforms in India, said these measures aren’t being adequately implemented or enforced. He also accused the police of being “reactive rather than proactive”.
“Poor enforcement of traffic laws, especially at night, remains the Achilles’ heel of road safety in India. While we have made progress in strengthening policies and improving infrastructure, the absence of stringent enforcement after dark turns our roads into high-risk zones,” he said. “Speeding, drunk driving, and reckless manoeuvres go unchecked, leading to a disproportionate number of fatal crashes at night. Additionally, a poor crash investigation leads to low conviction rates and high pendency, meaning people are further emboldened to violate traffic rules.”
For Tewari, poor trauma care response adds to the issue. “Most victims of road crashes suffer multiple injuries. Since the trauma response in most places isn’t adequate, they lose their lives or end up disabled. Either the nearest hospital is not equipped to deal with it, or they lack protocols, etc.”
Sarika Panda, founder and trustee of the Raahgiri Foundation, a non-profit that advocates for sustainable urban mobility and road safety in India, said one of the biggest challenges when it comes to road safety is the lack of public infrastructure for pedestrians.
“It’s a design issue too. The focus is always on building high-speed and wider roads which prioritise only vehicular movement,” she said.
Panda added that issuing challans isn’t enough. “People still drive around despite pending e-challans. There are no follow-ups, no repercussions.” This is backed by data – last month, The Times of India reported that in Noida alone, more than 53 lakh traffic tickets haven’t been paid in the last three years.
High-profile leniency
When it comes to high-profile hit-and-run cases or road accidents that have led to deaths, a familiar pattern emerges – police leniency, evidence tampering, delayed legal consequences, and the influence of political and financial power. Offenders often secure bail quickly, cases disappear or sentences are lenient. In some instances, legal proceedings shift due to public outcry.
In December 2013, a speeding Aston Martin Rapide belonging to Reliance Industries crashed into multiple vehicles in Mumbai. The car was allegedly being driven by the son of Mukesh Ambani. After losing control, the luxury car rammed into an Audi and a Hyundai, leaving both vehicles heavily damaged.
Initially, Bansilal Joshi, a long-time Ambani employee was presented as the accused. However, eyewitnesses reported seeing a young man in the driver’s seat, whose build did not match that of the accused. Newslaundary had investigated how the media played a role in downplaying the incident, raising questions about a possible cover-up.
In May last year, a juvenile son of a real estate businessman was involved in a fatal accident in Pune while allegedly driving a Porsche under the influence of alcohol. The crash led to the deaths of two IT professionals on a motorcycle. As Newslaundry has reported earlier, the case was mired in police leniency and evidence tampering.
In 2019, Suraj Sehrawat, son of Gurugram-based businessman Devender Sehrawat, was sentenced to two years in prison for a 2012 case where he rammed a BMW into a cab and killed two people, including a pregnant woman. Suraj was 18 at the time. He was charged under section 304 of the IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and was released on bail 30 minutes after surrendering. Four months later, the police filed the chargesheet, not under section 304 but under the more lenient 304A (death by negligence), which doesn’t carry a life sentence. The victim’s family blamed the police for deliberately diluting the charges.
We asked UB Dhakhada, police inspector of M Division Ahmedabad, how cops decide whether to file a case under 304 or 304A. He said what matters is intention. “If the driver is speeding at 120 km/hour or is drunk, that establishes intent, because he is aware that this is a fatal speed and can harm people. Driving drunk more so.”
In most such cases offenders are either let off with a fine or booked under sections 279 (rash driving, punishable by up to six months in jail or a fine of Rs 1000) and 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others, punishable by up to three months in jail or a fine) of the IPC.
Gurugram-based lawyer Nityanand Sinha said, “People with enough resources can afford to pay the fine and walk free. And in other cases, if they are powerful, like in the Gurugram BMW case, get away with it for the longest time.”
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