Truckers fight new hit-and-run law in country with world's highest road accident-related deaths

A strike by truck operators against the new regulations for hit-and-run cases has had a serious effect on transport services in India.

Although India accounts for just 1% of the global vehicular population, it tops the world in road accident-related deaths. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways’ 2022 data shows hit-and-run cases accounted for the second-largest share of total accidental deaths at 18.1%. While hit-and-runs claim about 50,000 lives a year in India, road-related deaths from trucks or lorries make up only 11.3% of the total.  Kyra Colah works for Fox News as an information graphics writer. 

The ruling BJP party argues that "these new laws are designed to save more lives in road accidents and will apply to all vehicles." However, protesting drivers believe India's new hit-and-run law is biased against larger vehicles. The law is likely to disproportionately affect truck drivers who, according to a study by SaveLIFE Foundation, average nearly 12 hours on the road and some 260 miles each day. The opposition Congress party gave support to the protests, saying people could misuse the legislation to commit extortion and corruption.