Friend’s Death in Accident Prodded Me to Improve Road Safety: Gadkari Nagpur: Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday said the death of a close friend in a road accident in Amravati was a turning point that inspired his efforts to enhance road safety across India. Speaking at the Sadak Suraksha Abhiyaan 2026, Gadkari described the tragedy as a wake-up call, prompting him to launch initiatives aimed at reducing accidents and promoting traffic discipline. During a conversation with Marathi actor Amey Wagh and director Nipun Dharmadhikari, Gadkari reflected on his student days at Nagpur University, recalling how he and friends often traveled together in a single vehicle during election campaigns. "That era was different. But I realized that amidst all the fun, one must also be sensible," he said. Gadkari highlighted the lack of respect for traffic rules and the absence of fear of legal consequences as major contributors to road accidents in India. He emphasized the need for stricter enforcement of traffic regulations, criticizing violations such as speeding, jaywalking, and ignoring road signage. "People sometimes treat the road like a circus," he remarked. The minister also shared alarming statistics, noting that approximately 50,000 deaths occur annually due to not wearing helmets and around 26,000 from not using seatbelts. Gadkari urged citizens to adopt basic safety measures, such as regular eye check-ups and avoiding shortcuts in learning to drive. "In the West, acquiring a licence is very tedious and requires serious study. Here, people look for shortcuts, and we are trying to curb that," he said. He also mentioned a proposal to replace conventional vehicle horns with musical instrument sounds to reduce noise pollution, though the idea was abandoned after facing criticism on social media.#nitin_gadkari #sadak_suraksha_abhiyaan_2026 #amravati #nagpur_university #amey_wagh
