NEW DELHI: A new report from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) paints a troubling picture of road safety in India. The number of road accidents in 2023 increased by 4.2%, with over 4.8 lakh incidents resulting in 1.72 lakh fatalities. Worryingly, 41% of the victims were not wearing safety devices—helmets for two-wheeler riders and seat belts for car occupants.
Among the fatalities, 54,568 were two-wheeler riders who were not wearing helmets, while 16,025 car passengers were not buckled up. On average, 20 people lost their lives every hour due to road accidents in the country.
Tamil Nadu continued to top the list with the highest number of accidents—20,582—marking its sixth consecutive year in this unfortunate position. Uttar Pradesh followed with 15,184 accidents, and Madhya Pradesh came in third with 14,561. Other states like Karnataka and Maharashtra reported 14,270 and 10,881 accidents, respectively.
The data also highlights the alarming trend of speeding. Over 72% of accidents and fatalities in 2023 were attributed to over-speeding, marking it as the leading cause of road accidents and deaths. Other contributing factors included drunken driving, running red lights, and mobile phone usage while driving.
In terms of accident types, “hit from behind” incidents led the pack, accounting for 21% of all accidents, followed by “hit and run” and “head-on collisions” at 17% and 15%, respectively.
National Highways (NH) were particularly hazardous, with 31.2% of all accidents occurring on these roads. This also accounted for 35.8% of the total fatalities. State Highways and other roads followed with 22% and 46.8% of accidents, respectively.
While some traffic violations saw a decline in both accidents and fatalities compared to 2022, there was a 3.6% increase in incidents involving wrong-side driving, and fatalities in these categories rose by 30%.
The MoRTH report serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges in road safety, and calls for the need for stricter enforcement of safety measures.
