India Faces Alarming Rise in Road Accidents, Resulting in 19 Deaths Every Hour
India is witnessing a dramatic surge in road accidents, with devastating consequences claiming the lives of 19 individuals every hour. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) recently released a report revealing a staggering 12 percent increase in road accidents, resulting in more than 4.6 lakh (461,312) incidents in 2022 alone.
According to the report, every hour, around 53 road accidents devastatingly occur across the country. These accidents have caused a shocking loss of life, with 1,68,491 individuals losing their lives and an additional 4,43,366 people sustaining injuries throughout the year. This marks an alarming 11.9 percent rise in accidents, 9.4 percent in fatalities, and a significant 15.3 percent increase in injuries compared to the previous year.
The report further highlights the distressing fact that young adults in the age group of 18 to 45 years accounted for 66.5 percent of the victims in 2022. Additionally, individuals within the working age group of 18 to 60 years constituted a staggering 83.4 percent of the total road accident fatalities.
These statistics paint a grim picture, compelling the Union Minister, Nitin Gadkari, to set an ambitious target of reducing the number of accidents and resulting deaths by half before 2024. However, the report revealed a disheartening reality, with a total of 1,68,491 road accident fatalities reported in 2022, surpassing the previous year’s figure of 1,53,972.
The report provides a breakdown of the accidents based on the type of roads. It reveals that 32.9 percent (1,51,997) of the accidents took place on National Highways (NH), including expressways, while 23.1 percent (1,06,682) occurred on state highways. The remaining 43.9 percent (2,02,633) of accidents took place on other roads.
Tragically, two-wheelers continued to be the most vulnerable category, accounting for the highest share of accidents and fatalities for the second consecutive year in 2022. Light vehicles, including cars, jeeps, and taxis, followed at a distant second.
Analyzing the road-user categories, the report reveals that two-wheeler riders had the highest share of fatalities, accounting for 44.5 percent of deaths in 2022. Pedestrians were the second most affected, with 19.5 percent of individuals killed in road accidents.
Certain regions within India faced distinctive challenges. Tamil Nadu reported the highest number of road accidents on National Highways in 2022, while Uttar Pradesh witnessed the highest number of fatalities due to road accidents.
An analysis of traffic rule violations highlighted that overspeeding was the leading cause of accidents, responsible for a staggering 71.2 percent of fatalities. Driving on the wrong side accounted for 5.4 percent of deaths. Interestingly, accidents occurred predominantly in open areas, which lack human activities in their vicinity, constituting 47.7 percent of accidents, 55.1 percent of deaths, and 48.2 percent of injuries.
The report also delves into the types of accidents, revealing that the ‘Hit from Back’ scenario was the most common, resulting in the largest share of fatalities (19.5 percent). ‘Hit and Run’ and ‘Head on Collision’ followed closely, accounting for 18.1 percent and 15.7 percent of total accidents and fatalities, respectively.
It is crucial for the government and other stakeholders to prioritize road safety measures and implement effective strategies to curb this alarming rise in accidents. By investing in infrastructure development, public awareness campaigns, and stricter enforcement of traffic rules, the authorities can work towards creating safer roads for all. Ultimately, it is imperative to ensure that innocent lives are not unnecessarily lost due to preventable road accidents.
