Sudden Braking on Highways is Negligence: Supreme Court's Crucial Ruling on Road Accidents

In a landmark decision on road safety, the Supreme Court has ruled that applying sudden brakes on a highway without warning constitutes negligence. The apex court held that such abrupt action can make a driver liable in the event of a road accident. This significant observation came during the hearing of a case related to a 2017 accident in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, where an engineering student lost his leg after a tragic collision involving a bike, a car, and a bus.

The court apportioned responsibility among all three parties involved: the car driver was deemed 50% negligent for braking suddenly without any signal, the bus driver was held 30% responsible, and the bike rider, Mohammed Hakim, was assigned 20% of the blame. The court noted that Hakim did not possess a valid driving license and failed to maintain a safe distance from the car ahead—factors contributing to his share of the negligence.

The total compensation was fixed at ₹1.14 crore, but due to Hakim's partial fault, the amount was reduced to ₹91.2 lakh. The Supreme Court directed the car and bus insurance companies to pay this amount within four weeks.

The incident took place on January 7, 2017, when Hakim’s bike crashed into a car that had stopped suddenly. Following the impact, he was thrown onto the road and subsequently run over by a bus approaching from behind. During treatment, his left leg had to be amputated. The car driver claimed that he stopped because his pregnant wife felt nauseous, but the Supreme Court rejected this justification, ruling that all three parties bore responsibility.

This judgment sets an important precedent, reinforcing the duty of care required from all road users and emphasizing the legal implications of reckless driving behavior—even when the intention may not be malicious.