New Delhi, Jan. 22 -- India is building highways at a record pace, but safer roads have not followed automatically. With over 4.6 lakh road accidents and more than 1.6 lakh deaths every year, road crashes remain among the leading causes of death for young Indians, imposing a heavy human and economic toll.

As expressways multiply and speeds rise, policymakers have acknowledged that infrastructure expansion alone cannot deliver safe mobility. The government is now reworking how highways are designed, monitored and managed-going beyond expansion to systemic safety reform.

Mint explains why highway safety has become a priority for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), and how its multi-pronged strategy aims to save lives.

Al...