What are the Speed Limits of Cars on Indian Expressways? Find out

Officials proposed an increase in the speed limit of vehicles running on Indian expressways by 20 kilometres per hour. The present Union Minister of Road Transport has proposed a decision. It has commented so due to improved conditions of roads that enable drivers to ride faster and smoother. The maximum limit of driving is 120 kmph on the expressway, and the limit on the national highway is 100 kmph. But the minister further added that most people are not in favor of high speeds as it triggers accidental problems and raises its frequency on highways unnecessarily.

Nitin Gadkari to appeal for a new bill

Nitin Gadkari is of the opinion to increase the speed of expressway to 140 kmph whereas the highest at the national highway is yet 100 kmph. The main appeal in the bail is to review the present condition of different national and expressways and accordingly increase the speed. Though he knows about the notion of people that increasing speed can result in accidents, it may not always be the case. When roads are well maintained with barricades and other top-notch facilities, there is less chance of accidents, and people are sure to love the ease of riding on such roads that can take such a peak of speed.

As per Gadkari, the speed on national highways with four lanes should be 100 kmph, whereas the city roads and the ones with two lanes should have 75 kmph and 80 kmph speed, respectively. This can help remove the speed challenges in India that can obstruct several other challenges for the authority to face in the near future.

A recent judgment from Madras High Court on 18^th August 2021 was out regarding the speed limit of vehicles. In this relation, the government of India notified about speed hikes on expressways and highways. It has been further notified that there is a set limit for the M1 category that is mainly used to carry passengers, and it should not have more than eight persons in the vehicle in addition to the driver's seat. It should have a speed limit of 120 kmph on the expressway and 100 kmph as per national highway rules and 60 kmph on other roads and lanes. The High Court observed this change of decision by the Government to trigger death and accidental problems, and there would be no rectification of the change despite death rates and others.

Gadkari is of the opinion that expressways are built in such a way that even dogs cannot pass from one side to another. This is one of the main reasons why cars can drive at such high speeds without the chance of accidents. He has appealed for a bill to revise the speed, and the court would take care of the same and pass it only after carefully checking the related laws. 

How do the road speeds vary from one place to another?

One of the primary reasons for the varying road speed is mainly due to the condition of roads. There are lower speeds set for loads where mostly heavy loaded vehicles run. It is less for the construction zone and high for the national highways. The condition of the roads and the number of lanes would be considered first before setting the ultimate speed limit for the particular lane. 

One of the common approaches to determine the appropriate speed limit of a place is to set it to V-85, where the speed should not be exceeded by 85 percent of vehicles. However, there will be a drop in speed depending on the current condition of roads and how affected, it is due to rain or other weather conditions. 

How complicated is the Indian driving scenario?

There are flexible speed limits in other countries, which are higher than those set for Indian expressways and national highways. There are issues for Indian roads, and one of them is driver tiredness. A person should not drive more than 9 hours a day and take 45 minutes to break after every four and half hours of driving. It would help one get rid of tiredness and reduce the chance of mind fatigue and accident problems. 

The second problem is that drivers do not have proper licensing documents, lack driving skills, and do not take the driving tests seriously. There is a requirement for skill development in India, and this can make the scenario better and reduce the chance of random accidents on highways and expressways.