NEW DELHI: India witnesses 53 road accidents and 19 deaths every hour, said Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday as he highlighted the need for creating awareness about road safety in the country, especially in schools.
Speaking at the Safety 2024 conference, hosted by The George Institute for Global Health and co-sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO), the minister said his department would request two-wheeler companies to give helmets at a discount to buyers as a large number of accidents involve two-wheeler drivers.
“It is alarming that 45% of accidents involve two-wheelers, and a significant number of deaths could have been prevented with proper helmet usage. We must prioritize education and awareness campaigns, starting from our schools, to instill a culture of road safety from a young age. Moreover, collaboration with industries, such as encouraging two-wheeler manufacturers to provide helmets with their vehicles, can be a crucial step in saving lives,” he said.
As many as 30,000 deaths are of two-wheeler drivers, who don’t wear helmets, he added.
According to the annual report on road accidents in India for 2022, the country witnessed 4,61,312 road crashes, resulting in 1,68,491 fatalities and injuries to 4,43,366 individuals.
This represents an increase of 11.9% in crashes, 9.4% in fatalities and 15.3% in injuries compared to the previous year. On an average, there are 1,264 crashes and 462 deaths daily, translating to 53 crashes and 92 deaths every hour.
Underscoring the government's unwavering commitment to enhancing road safety across the nation, aiming to significantly reduce road accidents and fatalities, Gadkari said, “Our efforts must extend beyond improving road infrastructure; we must focus on changing human behavior, particularly among vulnerable groups like two-wheeler riders and pedestrians.”
He also released the ‘Consensus Statement for Road Safety in India (Evidence-informed and Contextually Relevant 2025–2030),’ calling on global and Indian civil society organizations to unite in making road safety a priority, particularly in school education for young people.
"It's time for a collective effort - government, industry, and citizens alike -to address this issue head-on. By implementing strategic measures, creating safer road environments, and fostering a respect for the law, we can significantly reduce the number of accidents and make our roads safer for everyone," he added.
He said that road audits were being done to find out the cause of accidents, especially on highways.