Punjab launches National Road Safety Month 2026 with awareness drives, strict enforcement, driver training, and engineering upgrades to reduce accidents statewide.

Laljit Singh Bhullar, the minister of transportation, launches a month-long awareness campaign and stresses public involvement and rigorous enforcement. With the goal of lowering traffic accidents throughout the state and raising public awareness of road safety, the Punjab government officially started National Road Safety Month in 2026. In January 2026, Punjab Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar launched the month-long campaign at a function at Kisan Bhawan. The minister, who spoke to the crowd, claimed that traffic accidents are terrible events that take the lives of many people and are not just statistics.

The transport minister emphasized that everyone has a shared responsibility for road safety, not just the government or traffic police. He said that only when the public, government, and administration cooperate and adhere to traffic laws will there be a significant decrease in traffic accidents. He urged people to become more responsible drivers and embrace safe driving practices.

According to Laljit Singh Bhullar, Punjab will host comprehensive and multifaceted awareness campaigns during National Road Safety Month in 2026. In order to teach pupils the value of traffic laws and safe driving techniques at a young age, these will include road safety seminars, poster and slogan contests, tests, and interactive sessions in schools and universities.

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He added that refresher courses for heavy truck drivers would be held in addition to special training sessions for private and commercial drivers. Strict enforcement campaigns will be conducted concurrently to guarantee that helmet and seat belt use is required. Traffic infractions include using a cell phone while driving, speeding, and driving in the wrong way will be severely punished. The minister emphasized that drunk driving is a significant contributor to traffic accidents and announced that special checkpoints and checking drives will be held around the state to reduce this threat.

The minister also announced that engineering upgrades will be made at designated accident-prone dark spots based on historical accident data. Road markings, speed signboards, and better road signs are some of these measures. The public has been reminded to avoid needless travel and to use utmost caution when visibility is limited due to the foggy winter season.

R. Venkat Ratnam, Director General, Lead Agency on Road Safety, Punjab, announced during the ceremony that the CFDL plan has given each District Road Safety Committee ₹9.50 lakh in financial support. A portion of this sum, specifically ₹1 lakh, has been set aside for the acquisition of alcometers in order to bolster enforcement against drunk driving, specifically for the purpose of monitoring drivers in the commercial and special category. He went on to say that during the fog season, departments that own roads are now able to use funding right away to construct or fix road markings, street lights, and other traffic safety measures.

In order to accomplish the objective of zero tolerance for traffic infractions, Director General of Police (Traffic) Amardeep Singh Rai stressed the significance of stringent enforcement. He emphasized the benefits of the Road Safety Force (SSF), which presently patrols around 4,000 kilometers of state and federal highways every day. Fatalities on these routes have reportedly decreased by about 50% since the SSF was established, giving rise to expectations of a notable overall decrease in Punjab’s traffic accident death toll.

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According to State Transport Commissioner Parnit Shergill, the system for issuing driver’s licenses has been totally redesigned, making the testing procedure more stringent and open. The driving test pass percentage has consequently significantly decreased, guaranteeing higher driving standards throughout the state.

About 200 delivery workers from platforms including Zomato, Swiggy, and Blinkit participated in a motorbike rally at Bestech Mall in SAS Nagar (Mohali) as part of the awareness campaign. Road safety messages were printed on helmets, T-shirts, and caps given to participants. R. Venkat Ratnam and DGP (Traffic) Amardeep Singh Rai launched off the rally, reaffirming the state’s dedication to raising awareness of road safety among high-risk drivers.

Members of the Punjab State Road Safety Council, traffic police officers, senior officials from various departments, representatives of road safety groups, educational institutions, social organizations, and other dignitaries attended the event. The Punjab administration reaffirmed that it hopes to successfully spread the word about road safety to all facets of society during National Road Safety Month in 2026.