The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) led by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has launched Road Safety Campaign (SSA) 2026, a nationwide public awareness campaign aimed at promoting responsible road behavior across India. Lending their voice and presence to the initiative are some of the country’s leading celebrities, including Amitabh Bachchan, Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal along with Kay Kay Menon, renowned singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan and lyricist-composer Swanand Kirkire.
Amitabh Bachchan, Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal join hands with Nitin Gadkari for Road Safety Campaign 2026
The campaign marks its fourth consecutive year with a grand telethon on CNN-News18, scheduled to take place on January 25 in Mumbai. Designed as a high-impact awareness initiative, the event will feature engaging talks and demonstrations focused on driving behavior change and strengthening public commitment towards road safety.
According to official MoRTH data, India recorded 4,87,707 road accidents in 2024, leading to 1,77,175 deaths – an average of about 485 lives lost every day. What is worrying is that more than two-thirds of these deaths involved people aged 18 to 45, highlighting the urgent need for continued national awareness. Risk factors such as speeding, rash driving, dangerous overtaking, walking on foot, non-use of helmets and seat belts and delay in providing help during critical golden hours are contributing significantly to road deaths.
The theme of SSA 2026 is ‘Kartavya’ (Duty), which reinforces the idea that road safety is not just a regulatory issue but a shared civic responsibility. Reflecting this shift, the campaign’s tagline “From care, to duty” signals a move from concern to conscious action on Indian roads.
This year’s edition is based on four key pillars: Dakhti (Duty), Qaida (Discipline), Kavach (Shield), and Kranti (Change) – together aiming to create awareness, promote disciplined behaviour, leverage technology and AI, and enable long-term, community-driven change.
Speaking on the initiative, Santosh Menon, Chief Content Officer, Network18, said, “The Road Safety campaign represents a collective commitment to make our roads safer – bringing together government, institutions, industry, media and citizens on a shared platform of responsibility. This year’s theme, Duty, reinforces that road safety is the duty of every citizen. Through collective ownership and sustained behavior change, we can move from intention to real impact.”
Punit Singhvi, Chief Strategy Officer, Network18 Group, said, “We appreciate the Ministry’s continued leadership in driving this innovative initiative and are committed to amplifying its message, deepening public awareness and encouraging responsible road behavior that can significantly reduce preventable accidents and save lives.”
With strong celebrity endorsement and nationwide reach, Road Safety Campaign 2026 aims to move beyond awareness to inspire meaningful action, urging citizens to embrace road safety as a shared responsibility.
The grand telethon will air on Sunday, January 25 at 11:00 am on CNN-News18.
