Media campaign and enforcement drive in Karnataka shows reduction in average vehicle speeds and fatalities

A state-wide mass media campaign in Karnataka against speeding, combined with intensified police enforcement, has contributed to a reduction in average vehicle speeds and a decline in fatalities, according to an evaluation report released by the government on Monday (March 2, 2026).

The report on the “Motorcycle Reconstruction” campaign was prepared by the WHO Collaborating Centre for Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion at NIMHANS in collaboration with Vital Strategies under the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety.

The campaign was implemented by the Karnataka State Road Safety Authority (KSRSA) for three months beginning November 2024, alongside targeted enforcement by the Karnataka State Police.

The triangulation study adopted a multi-source data approach which included data of road use behaviour, enforcement, observational speed and crash data. This  data compared pre and post-campaign evaluation data from Vital Strategies, speed observations by NIMHANS and Johns Hopkins Injury Prevention Unit and violation and crash data from the Karnataka State Police. Together, these data looked at the effectiveness of strategically pairing campaigns with enforcement.

Style of campaign

This instructional-style campaign featured road safety expert and former NIMHANS director G Gururaj, who explains that even a small change in speed can affect the likelihood of a crash, its severity, and whether someone survives.

The campaign aired on 12 TV channels and in 500 cinema theatres, and was displayed on more than 200 roadside billboards, one in 5 national and local dailies as advertisements, and on eight radio satellite channels. The WHO Collaborating Centre at NIMHANS conducted the comprehensive evaluation of the campaign, analysing data before and after the campaign.

What are the findings of the study?

Gautham Melur Sukumar, Professor of Epidemiology and Head of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion at NIMHANS, said the average vehicle speeds in Bengaluru city declined by 9.4 kmph, falling from 45.91 kmph before the campaign to 36.56 kmph after its implementation. The proportion of vehicles exceeding the speed limit reduced from 6.41% to 5.99%. During the same period, 13 fewer fatalities were recorded, reinforcing the point that crashes at lower speeds are less likely to result in death.

Enforcement activity saw a marked increase. The number of speed violation cases registered across the State rose from 49,717 in the pre-campaign period to 55,311 during the campaign. Fines collected from penalties increased by 11%, reflecting strengthened enforcement measures alongside the media outreach.

Dr. Sukumar said public engagement indicators showed measurable impact. About 42% of respondents recalled the campaign. Among those who had seen it, 93% said it made them more concerned about speeding and motivated them to adhere to posted speed limits. Nearly 32% discussed the advertisement with others, and 38% reported persuading someone not to speed. 

Knowledge of speed limits improved from 25.8% in 2024 to 30% in 2025 – a rise of 4.2 percentage points – which means that the message has been drilled down into a significant section of road users and that indirectly will prevent these lives on the road, he said.

Systemic change

Releasing the report, Karthik Reddy, Joint Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) said, “I observed how consistently media reporting on the death trap – Bengaluru-Mysuru highway – forced a systemic change and brought about strategic evidence-based interventions that drastically reduced deaths and injuries on this corridor in 2023.”

Mr. Reddy said the BTP would continue to work towards reducing deaths and injuries, specifically of two-wheeler users since the data showed that they are at highest risk. “The reduction in deaths (though not significant), and average speed in Bengaluru is a positive outcome of this joint collaboration between government stakeholders and proves we are on the right track,” he said.

J. Purushottham, Additional Commissioner, KSRSA, said the authority will try to support the districts having high fatalities to enhance the use of campaigns and enforcement.

Published – March 02, 2026 06:13 pm IST