CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has cemented its position as the road accident capital of India, recording the highest number of traffic accidents in the country for 2024, according to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report. The state reported 69,828 traffic accident cases, a marginal increase from the 69,491 cases registered in 2023 (the highest in the country at that time).
These accidents resulted in 20,390 fatalities, giving Tamil Nadu a grim 10.2% share of the national traffic death toll. Over 71,868 people were injured in these accidents. Road accidents specifically accounted for 67,526 cases and 17,994 deaths within the state. (The figure was 67,213 cases for 2023 – again the highest in the country).
The report, released on Wednesday, identifies overspeeding as the state’s primary executioner, claiming 13,765 lives, the highest figure for this cause in India. Physical fatigue, or drowsy driving, was responsible for 204 accidents, resulting in 94 deaths and 250 injuries.
Infrastructure analysis highlights significant danger on highways.
Tamil Nadu reported the maximum number of accidents on state highways (21,688 cases), resulting in 6,099 deaths, the highest in the country for this road classification. On national highways, the state was second only to Uttar Pradesh, recording 6,359 deaths.
Riders of two-wheelers and pedestrians are the most vulnerable groups in the state.
Tamil Nadu recorded 11,786 deaths among two-wheeler riders, the highest in India. Pedestrian safety is also a major concern, as the state accounted for 16.2% of the national pedestrian death toll, reporting 4,176 fatalities.
Temporal analysis shows that the most hazardous time on the state’s roads is during the evening, specifically between 18:00 and 21:00, when 16,823 accidents occurred. Seasonally, the month of May was the deadliest, with TN reporting 5,640 accidents, the highest for any state in that month.
While TN reported zero fatalities at railway crossings in 2024, incidents on railway tracks and premises remained lethal, resulting in 2,396 deaths and 203 injuries. Nationally, these rail-track incidents are often caused by falls from trains or collisions with people on the tracks.
As the national accidental death rate rises to 33.3 per lakh population, Tamil Nadu’s data serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for stricter traffic enforcement and fatigue management for drivers, claimed experts.
Second in suicide deaths
In suicide also, Tamil Nadu continues to grapple with a profound mental health crisis, recording 19,965 suicides in 2024, according to the NCRB report. The state now accounts for 11.7% of all suicides in India, ranking second nationally behind only Maharashtra (13.0%).
The report highlights a devastating trend: TN leads the country in mass or family suicides. The state registered 32 cases where family members ended their lives jointly, resulting in 79 fatalities. This is significantly higher than other states like Punjab (12 cases) and Andhra Pradesh (11 cases).
The drivers of suicide in the state often exceed national benchmarks. ‘Family Problems’ were cited in 7,737 cases, representing a 38.8% share of the state’s total cases, notably higher than the national average of 33.5%. Furthermore, suicides linked to ‘Illness’ accounted for 29.3% (5,847 cases), far surpassing the national average of 18.0%.