Liability Concern in Traffic Fatalities: A Critical study of India’s Motor Vehicle Regulatory System

India is one of the nations with the highest number of road accident deaths worldwide, making road traffic fatalities a serious public health and legal concern. The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, as modified in 2019, provides a thorough legal framework, however the problem of liability in road fatalities is still complicated and not sufficiently addressed. With an emphasis on responsibility assessment and enforcement, this essay offers a critical analysis of India's motor vehicle regulations. The report contends that a variety of factors, including driver irresponsibility, inadequate infrastructure, vehicle flaws, lax enforcement, and delayed emergency responses, interact to cause traffic accidents. But the current legal system mostly takes a driver-centric approach, frequently ignoring the responsibility of other stakeholders. This leads to inadequate deterrence and dispersed liability. The operation of Motor Accident Claims Tribunals (MACTs) is further examined in the article, with particular attention paid to evidence difficulties, insurance-related conflicts, and procedural delays that impede prompt reimbursement. Although the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 brought forth progressive changes like stronger fines, protection for Good Samaritans, and higher compensation, its efficacy is constrained by inadequate execution and administrative inefficiencies. The study also places traffic deaths within a wider socio- economic framework, highlighting the unequal effects on at risk groups. It determines that moving towards a multi party liability system, along with enhanced enforcement, infrastructure improvements and technology integration, is crucial for achieving justice, deterrence and effective governance.