Why in News?
- Provisional 2024 report by Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) indicates that India’s crash toll may surpass 2023 once West Bengal data is added.
- Despite declines in nine states, national road fatalities remain among the highest globally.
Relevance:
• GS-3 (Infrastructure & Transport): Evaluates safety performance under MoRTH, Motor Vehicles Act, and blackspot rectification policy.
• GS-2 (Governance): Reflects Centre–State coordination and institutional accountability in road safety management.
• GS-3 (Disaster Management): Links accident prevention, emergency response, and trauma care with SDG 3.6 (reduce deaths by 50% by 2030).
National Overview (2024 vs 2023)
- 2024 (Provisional): 4.73 lakh accidents, 1.70 lakh deaths.
- 2023: 4.80 lakh accidents, 1.73 lakh deaths.
- Trend: National totals appear slightly lower, but inclusion of West Bengal (13,795 accidents, 6,027 deaths in 2023) will likely push 2024 above 2023.
- Long-term trend: Year-on-year increase in crashes since 2022, except during COVID-19 years (2020–21).
- Global context: India ranks #1 worldwide in road deaths, ahead of China and the US (World Road Statistics, IRF).
State-wise Highlights (2024)
Top 5 States by Road Accidents
| Rank | State | Accidents (2023) | Accidents (2024*) | Change |
| 1 | Tamil Nadu | 67,213 | 67,526 | ↑ 0.5% |
| 2 | Madhya Pradesh | 55,327 | 56,669 | ↑ 2.4% |
| 3 | Kerala | 48,091 | 48,789 | ↑ 1.4% |
| 4 | Uttar Pradesh | 44,534 | 46,052 | ↑ 3.4% |
| 5 | Karnataka | 43,440 | 43,062 | ↓ 0.9% |
Top 5 States by Road Fatalities
| Rank | State | Fatalities (2023) | Fatalities (2024*) | Change |
| 1 | Uttar Pradesh | 23,652 | 24,118 | ↑ 2.0% |
| 2 | Tamil Nadu | 18,347 | 18,449 | ↑ 0.6% |
| 3 | Maharashtra | 15,366 | 15,715 | ↑ 2.3% |
| 4 | Madhya Pradesh | 13,798 | 14,791 | ↑ 7.2% |
| 5 | Karnataka | 12,321 | 12,390 | ↑ 0.6% |
Positive Performers – States Showing Dual Decline
- 9 States/UTs recorded fall in both accidents & fatalities:
Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, J&K, Manipur, Nagaland. - Examples:
- Gujarat: Accidents ↓ 4.6% (16,349→15,588); Fatalities ↓ 1.7% (7,854→7,717).
- Haryana: Accidents ↓ 6.3%; Fatalities ↓ 5.6%.
- Punjab: Accidents ↓ 3.3%; Fatalities ↓ 1.4%.
- Nagaland: Accidents ↓ 57% (303→129).
Mixed Trends – Fall in One Metric, Rise in Another
| State | Accidents | Fatalities | Observation |
| Andhra Pradesh | ↓ (19,949→19,557) | ↑ (8,137→8,346) | Higher severity |
| Karnataka | ↓ | ↑ | Severity rise |
| Kerala | ↑ | ↓ | Better post-crash response |
| Tripura | ↑ marginally | ↓ | Improved safety |
| Delhi | ↓ | ↑ | Rising fatal crashes |
| Ladakh | ↓ | ↑ | High-altitude risk profile |
Accident Severity (Fatalities per 100 Accidents)
- Uttar Pradesh: Highest severity – 52.37% (1 death in 2 accidents).
- Kerala: Lowest severity – ~7.6% (1 death in 13 accidents).
- Rajasthan: Third highest severity – 47.47%.
- Gujarat: Slight rise from 48.04% to 49.51%.
- Telangana: Largest improvement – severity dropped from 33.4% to 30.6%.
Structural Insights
- Over 60% of fatalities occur on National & State Highways.
- Human error contributes to ~70% of accidents (speeding, distraction, fatigue).
- 2-wheeler riders account for ~44% of deaths, pedestrians ~19%, cyclists ~4%.
- Seatbelt & helmet non-compliance remain the biggest risk multipliers.
- Rural roads: ~60% of total crashes but only ~45% of registered vehicles.
Road Safety Interventions (MoRTH & States)
- Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019: Stricter penalties, hit-and-run compensation (₹2 lakh).
- National Road Safety Policy: 4Es – Education, Engineering, Enforcement, Emergency care.
- Blackspot Rectification Programme: 789 blackspots identified; 60% under correction (2024).
- Good Samaritan Guidelines (2022): Legal protection to helpers of crash victims.
- Integrated Road Accident Database (iRAD): Data-driven interventions rolled out in 28 states.
- Swachhata Pakhwada–Road Safety Week 2024: Behavioural campaigns on helmets, seatbelts, and drink-driving.
Global & Comparative Context
- India accounts for 11% of global road deaths, despite having only 1% of global vehicle population.
- WHO Global Status Report (2023): India’s fatality rate – 12.1 deaths per 1 lakh population (global avg ~9).
- UN Target: Reduce road deaths by 50% by 2030 (SDG 3.6) – India far off-track.
Key Concerns
- Persisting urban–rural divide in enforcement and emergency response.
- Underreporting by states (~15–20% gap vs NCRB data).
- Delayed trauma care: 30–40% deaths occur within 1 hour (“golden hour loss”).
- Low deterrence: Poor conviction rate in traffic offences.
- Funding gaps in State Road Safety Funds (utilisation <60%).
Way Forward
- Engineering: Crash barriers, rumble strips, lane segregation, better signage.
- Enforcement: AI-driven e-challan, speed cameras, night patrols.
- Education: Behavioural change campaigns, school road safety curriculum.
- Emergency Response: Expand NHAI’s 1033 helpline, integrate with eSanjeevani & 108 ambulance network.
- Accountability: Annual State Road Safety Index to link fund allocation with performance.
- Urban Mobility Planning: Safer pedestrian & cyclist infrastructure under Gati Shakti.
