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Hindustan Times
31-07-2025
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Drivers must warn before halting on highways, says Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has recently ruled that making abrupt halts on highways—especially without prior warning—can be deemed an act of negligence. This decision came while hearing a case involving a road accident, where the court observed that stopping suddenly on a highway could put other vehicles at serious risk, especially if it's done without proper signals. The court noted that highways are designed for high-speed travel, and unexpected halts can endanger not just the driver but others on the road as well. Emphasising the potential consequences, the bench said that many of India's highways lack shoulders or warning signs for upcoming speed breakers, making it even more crucial for drivers to remain alert and cautious. Also check these Cars Find more Cars UPCOMING VinFast VF e34 41.9 kWh 41.9 kWh 318 km 318 km ₹ 25 - 30 Lakhs Alert Me When Launched UPCOMING Hyundai Stargazer 1493 cc 1493 cc Multiple Multiple ₹ 10 Lakhs Alert Me When Launched Tata Altroz Racer 1199 cc 1199 cc Petrol Petrol ₹ 9.49 Lakhs Compare View Offers UPCOMING MG Baojun 510 1998 cc 1998 cc Diesel Diesel ₹ 11 Lakhs Alert Me When Launched Lamborghini Huracan Evo Spyder 5204 cc 5204 cc Petrol Petrol ₹ 3.54 Cr Compare View Offers Lamborghini Huracan STO 5204 cc 5204 cc Petrol Petrol ₹ 4.99 Cr Compare View Offers It further clarified that while there might be genuine reasons for a vehicle to stop suddenly, like an emergency or road obstruction, the driver must still make every effort to alert others behind them. The responsibility lies with the driver to ensure they don't endanger fellow motorists by braking without giving adequate warning. A key takeaway from the court's statement: 'On highways, high speeds are normal. If a driver plans to stop, he must alert others—it is his responsibility." The decision came in a case involving a young engineering student whose leg had to be amputated following a multi-vehicle crash in Tamil Nadu. A two-judge bench, led by Justices Suddhanshu Dhulia and Aravind Kumar, noted that national highways are designed for steady and swift travel, and any driver intending to pause must ensure trailing traffic is warned in time. The case stemmed from a 2017 incident in Coimbatore, where the student, S Mohammed Hakim, collided with a car that had come to a sudden stop. Thrown onto the tarmac, he was then struck by a bus approaching from behind. The car driver later explained that he stopped because his pregnant spouse felt unwell. Blame shared, but driver's actions deemed primary trigger While the student was criticised for riding without a proper licence and not keeping enough space from the vehicle ahead, the judges agreed that the chain of events began with the car's unannounced halt. The court concluded that the car driver was 50 per cent responsible for the accident. The bus operator was held 30 per cent liable, while Hakim was assigned 20 per cent of the fault for contributory negligence. Previous findings overturned Earlier, the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal had cleared the car driver and attributed the fault mainly to the bus driver and Hakim. The Madras High Court later revised this view, placing a greater share of responsibility on the car driver. The Supreme Court's latest judgment has further adjusted the distribution of blame, placing primary responsibility on the car driver. Get insights into Upcoming Cars In India, Electric Vehicles, Upcoming Bikes in India and cutting-edge technology transforming the automotive landscape. First Published Date:
NDTV
31-07-2025
- NDTV
Sudden Braking On Highway Is Negligence: Supreme Court
In a significant verdict, the Supreme Court has held that a car driver, who applies sudden brakes on a highway without any warning, can be held negligent in the event of a road accident. A bench comprising Justices Suddhanshu Dhulia and Aravind Kumar on Tuesday observed that a driver's abrupt halt in the middle of a highway, even if triggered by a personal emergency, cannot be justified if it endangers other road users. "On a highway, high speed of vehicles is expected and if a driver intends to stop his vehicle, he has a responsibility to give a warning or signal to other vehicles moving behind on the road," Justice Dhulia, who wrote the judgement for the bench, said. The verdict came on a plea of S Mohammed Hakim, an engineering student whose left leg had to be amputated after a road accident in Coimbatore on January 7, 2017. The incident occurred when Hakim's motorcycle collided with the rear of a car that had come to an unexpected stop. As a result, Hakim fell onto the road and was run over by a bus approaching from behind. The car driver had claimed that he applied brakes suddenly because his pregnant wife experienced a vomiting sensation. However, the court rejected this explanation, stating, "The explanation given by the car driver for suddenly stopping his car in the middle of a highway is not a reasonable explanation from any angle." Holding a car driver as 50 per cent liable in a road accident case, the bench did not agree to his contention that he had suddenly applied the brakes as his wife was pregnant and she had a vomiting sensation. Allowing his plea for enhancement of compensation, the bench said, "In our view, the concurrent finding that the appellant was definitely negligent in not maintaining a sufficient distance from the vehicle moving ahead and driving the motorcycle without a valid license is correct." But at the same time, the bench pointed out, it cannot be ignored that the root cause of the accident is the sudden brakes applied by the car driver. "The explanation given by the car driver for suddenly stopping his car in the middle of a highway is not a reasonable explanation from any angle," the bench said. The court held the appellant as liable for contributory negligence but only to the extent of 20 per cent, while making the car driver and bus driver as liable for negligence to the extent of 50 per cent and 30 per cent respectively. The court computed the total amount of compensation as Rs 1.14 crore but reduced it by 20 per cent due to contributory negligence by the appellant, to be paid to him by the insurance companies of both the vehicles, within four weeks. In the case, the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal exonerated the car driver and determined the negligence of the appellant and the bus driver in the ratio of 20:80. It put the contributory negligence of 20 per cent on the appellant for not maintaining a sufficient distance from the car. The Madras High Court, however, held the car driver and bus driver liable for negligence to the extent of 40 and 30 per cent respectively and made the appellant liable for 30 per cent contributory negligence.
Economic Times
30-07-2025
- Economic Times
Sudden braking on highway is negligence, says SC
Agencies Sudden braking on highway is negligence, says SC In a significant verdict, the Supreme Court has held that a car driver, who applies sudden brakes on a highway without any warning, can be held negligent in the event of a road accident.A bench comprising Justices Suddhanshu Dhulia and Aravind Kumar on Tuesday observed that a driver's abrupt halt in the middle of a highway, even if triggered by a personal emergency, cannot be justified if it endangers other road users."On a highway, high speed of vehicles is expected and if a driver intends to stop his vehicle, he has a responsibility to give a warning or signal to other vehicles moving behind on the road," Justice Dhulia, who wrote the judgement for the bench, said. The verdict came on a plea of S Mohammed Hakim, an engineering student whose left leg had to be amputated after a road accident in Coimbatore on January 7, 2017. The incident occurred when Hakim's motorcycle collided with the rear of a car that had come to an unexpected stop. As a result, Hakim fell onto the road and was run over by a bus approaching from car driver had claimed that he applied brakes suddenly because his pregnant wife experienced a vomiting the court rejected this explanation, stating, "The explanation given by the car driver for suddenly stopping his car in the middle of a highway is not a reasonable explanation from any angle." Holding a car driver as 50 % liable in a road accident case, the bench did not agree to his contention that he had suddenly applied the brakes as his wife was pregnant and she had a vomiting his plea for enhancement of compensation, the bench said, "In our view, the concurrent finding that the appellant was definitely negligent in not maintaining a sufficient distance from the vehicle moving ahead and driving the motorcycle without a valid license is correct." But at the same time, the bench pointed out, it cannot be ignored that the root cause of the accident is the sudden brakes applied by the car driver."The explanation given by the car driver for suddenly stopping his car in the middle of a highway is not a reasonable explanation from any angle," the bench court held the appellant as liable for contributory negligence but only to the extent of 20 %, while making the car driver and bus driver as liable for negligence to the extent of 50 % and 30 % respectively. The court computed the total amount of compensation as Rs 1.14 crore but reduced it by 20 % due to contributory negligence by the appellant, to be paid to him by the insurance companies of both the vehicles, within four weeks. In the case, the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal exonerated the car driver and determined the negligence of the appellant and the bus driver in the ratio of 20:80. It put the contributory negligence of 20 % on the appellant for not maintaining a sufficient distance from the car. The Madras High Court, however, held the car driver and bus driver liable for negligence to the extent of 40 and 30 % respectively and made the appellant liable for 30 % contributory negligence.
Time of India
30-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Sudden braking on highway is negligence, says SC
The Supreme Court ruled that a car driver can be held negligent for causing an accident by applying sudden brakes on a highway without warning. This verdict came after an engineering student lost his leg in an accident caused by a car's abrupt stop and a subsequent collision with a bus. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads In a significant verdict, the Supreme Court has held that a car driver, who applies sudden brakes on a highway without any warning, can be held negligent in the event of a road accident.A bench comprising Justices Suddhanshu Dhulia and Aravind Kumar on Tuesday observed that a driver's abrupt halt in the middle of a highway, even if triggered by a personal emergency, cannot be justified if it endangers other road users."On a highway, high speed of vehicles is expected and if a driver intends to stop his vehicle, he has a responsibility to give a warning or signal to other vehicles moving behind on the road," Justice Dhulia, who wrote the judgement for the bench, verdict came on a plea of S Mohammed Hakim , an engineering student whose left leg had to be amputated after a road accident in Coimbatore on January 7, incident occurred when Hakim's motorcycle collided with the rear of a car that had come to an unexpected a result, Hakim fell onto the road and was run over by a bus approaching from car driver had claimed that he applied brakes suddenly because his pregnant wife experienced a vomiting the court rejected this explanation, stating, "The explanation given by the car driver for suddenly stopping his car in the middle of a highway is not a reasonable explanation from any angle."Holding a car driver as 50 % liable in a road accident case, the bench did not agree to his contention that he had suddenly applied the brakes as his wife was pregnant and she had a vomiting his plea for enhancement of compensation, the bench said, "In our view, the concurrent finding that the appellant was definitely negligent in not maintaining a sufficient distance from the vehicle moving ahead and driving the motorcycle without a valid license is correct."But at the same time, the bench pointed out, it cannot be ignored that the root cause of the accident is the sudden brakes applied by the car driver."The explanation given by the car driver for suddenly stopping his car in the middle of a highway is not a reasonable explanation from any angle," the bench court held the appellant as liable for contributory negligence but only to the extent of 20 %, while making the car driver and bus driver as liable for negligence to the extent of 50 % and 30 % court computed the total amount of compensation as Rs 1.14 crore but reduced it by 20 % due to contributory negligence by the appellant, to be paid to him by the insurance companies of both the vehicles, within four the case, the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal exonerated the car driver and determined the negligence of the appellant and the bus driver in the ratio of 20:80. It put the contributory negligence of 20 % on the appellant for not maintaining a sufficient distance from the Madras High Court , however, held the car driver and bus driver liable for negligence to the extent of 40 and 30 % respectively and made the appellant liable for 30 % contributory negligence.
News18
30-07-2025
- News18
Sudden braking on highway is negligence, says SC
New Delhi, Jul 30 (PTI) In a significant verdict, the Supreme Court has held that a car driver, who applies sudden brakes on a highway without any warning, can be held negligent in the event of a road accident. A bench comprising Justices Suddhanshu Dhulia and Aravind Kumar on Tuesday observed that a driver's abrupt halt in the middle of a highway, even if triggered by a personal emergency, cannot be justified if it endangers other road users. 'On a highway, high speed of vehicles is expected and if a driver intends to stop his vehicle, he has a responsibility to give a warning or signal to other vehicles moving behind on the road," Justice Dhulia, who wrote the judgement for the bench, said. The verdict came on a plea of S Mohammed Hakim, an engineering student whose left leg had to be amputated after a road accident in Coimbatore on January 7, 2017. The incident occurred when Hakim's motorcycle collided with the rear of a car that had come to an unexpected stop. As a result, Hakim fell onto the road and was run over by a bus approaching from behind. The car driver had claimed that he applied brakes suddenly because his pregnant wife experienced a vomiting sensation. However, the court rejected this explanation, stating, 'The explanation given by the car driver for suddenly stopping his car in the middle of a highway is not a reasonable explanation from any angle." Holding a car driver as 50 per cent liable in a road accident case, the bench did not agree to his contention that he had suddenly applied the brakes as his wife was pregnant and she had a vomiting sensation. Allowing his plea for enhancement of compensation, the bench said, 'In our view, the concurrent finding that the appellant was definitely negligent in not maintaining a sufficient distance from the vehicle moving ahead and driving the motorcycle without a valid license is correct." But at the same time, the bench pointed out, it cannot be ignored that the root cause of the accident is the sudden brakes applied by the car driver. 'The explanation given by the car driver for suddenly stopping his car in the middle of a highway is not a reasonable explanation from any angle," the bench said. The court held the appellant as liable for contributory negligence but only to the extent of 20 per cent, while making the car driver and bus driver as liable for negligence to the extent of 50 per cent and 30 per cent respectively. The court computed the total amount of compensation as Rs 1.14 crore but reduced it by 20 per cent due to contributory negligence by the appellant, to be paid to him by the insurance companies of both the vehicles, within four weeks. In the case, the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal exonerated the car driver and determined the negligence of the appellant and the bus driver in the ratio of 20:80. It put the contributory negligence of 20 per cent on the appellant for not maintaining a sufficient distance from the car. The Madras High Court, however, held the car driver and bus driver liable for negligence to the extent of 40 and 30 per cent respectively and made the appellant liable for 30 per cent contributory negligence. PTI SJK ZMN view comments First Published: July 30, 2025, 15:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
