Why is this in news?
- The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways informed Lok Sabha that 1.77 lakh people died in road accidents in 2024, an increase of 2.31% over 2023.
- India missed its target to reduce road accidents, despite a global commitment (Stockholm Declaration, 2020) to halve road traffic deaths by 2030.
- India recorded 4.80 lakh accidents in 2024, indicating a persistent upward trend after a temporary pandemic dip.
Relevance
GS-2 (Governance)
- Public safety, policy implementation constraints.
- Institutional gaps in enforcing the Motor Vehicles Act.
- Centre-State coordination on road safety.
GS-3 (Infrastructure & Economy)
- Transport infrastructure, logistics efficiency.
- Economic cost of road accidents (~3% of GDP).
- Technology adoption: e-DAR, intelligent transport systems.
Basic understanding
- India has the highest number of road accident deaths globally.
- Road safety depends on the “4Es”:
- Education (awareness & behaviour)
- Engineering (safer roads & vehicles)
- Enforcement (laws & compliance)
- Emergency care (golden hour response)
- India’s road safety ecosystem consistently struggles across all four pillars.
Key facts from the report
Fatalities (2023 → 2024)
- 2023: 1,72,809 deaths
- 2024: 1,77,177 deaths
- Rise: 2.31%
States with highest fatalities (2024)
- Uttar Pradesh – 24,118
- Tamil Nadu – 16,932
- Maharashtra – 17,870
- Madhya Pradesh – 12,987
- Karnataka – 11,727
Global comparison
- Highest road deaths: India, followed by China and the U.S.
Other observations
- India’s road crash rate per lakh population: 43.4
- World average: lower than India
- U.S.: 11.89
- U.K.: 3.13
Why are fatalities increasing?
1. Rapid motorisation without corresponding road safety infrastructure
- Increased vehicle ownership, especially 2-wheelers.
- Poorly designed intersections, absence of pedestrian infrastructure.
2. Weak enforcement
- Overspeeding, drunk driving, helmet non-compliance, seatbelt violations remain common.
- Low deterrence due to inconsistent policing.
3. Engineering gaps
- Blackspots remain uncorrected.
- Inadequate signage, poor road maintenance, lack of crash barriers.
4. Behavioural challenges
- Risky driving culture, fatigue among truck drivers, phone usage while driving.
5. Emergency care deficits
- Limited golden-hour response; absence of standardised trauma-care systems.
6. Pandemic rebound effect
- After 2020–21 dips, traffic volumes surged sharply.
Government’s position & ongoing measures
Investment pattern
- Funds allocated for road safety constitute 2.21%–5.10% of total development expenditure for National Highways construction.
Electronic Detailed Accident Report (e-DAR)
- Real-time accident data from police; operational but evolving.
Toll collection modernisation
- Existing system to be replaced with a new electronic mechanism within a year for smoother traffic flow.
Expansion of new road safety system
- Rolled out in 10 locations, to be scaled nationally.
Promotion of cleaner vehicles
- Minister mentioned experimentation with biofuels, green hydrogen, and Toyota’s Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell car.
Structural policy gaps
- No nationwide Unified Road Safety Authority.
- Fragmented responsibilities between Centre, States, and local bodies.
- Insufficient monitoring of post-crash response.
- Weak implementation of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 due to States not enforcing enhanced penalties.
- Data inconsistencies between police reporting and hospital/emergency-care systems.
Why India is missing the 2030 Stockholm target ?
- Fatalities still rising instead of declining.
- Behavioural change is slow.
- States vary widely in enforcement intensity.
- Vehicle safety compliance remains uneven, especially among 2- and 3-wheelers.
- Infrastructure expansion (expressways, high-speed corridors) outpaces safety design upgrades.
