In a concerning revelation, India grappled with an unprecedented surge in road accidents and fatalities grips India in 2022, as per the latest government reports. Despite substantial investments in infrastructure, the nation recorded an alarming rise in mishaps, resulting in a staggering loss of 1,68,491 lives. This grim milestone highlights the urgent need for a holistic approach to address the root causes of these accidents.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) released its annual report on road accidents, revealing shocking statistics. In 2022, India witnessed a total of 4,61,312 road accidents, marking an 11.9% increase compared to the previous year. These accidents caused injuries to 4,43,366 people, signifying a distressing 15.3% rise in injuries year-on-year.
Road Accidents and Fatalities Grips India in 2022: According to Report
One of the most alarming statistics is that India recorded more fatalities in 2022 than ever before, despite a lower number of accidents in previous years. The second-highest number of deaths occurred in 2019, with 10,000 fewer fatalities than 2022. Moreover, the fatality ratio concerning the Indian population reached a concerning 12.2 casualties per one lakh people.
Despite numerous interventions at the state and central levels, road safety metrics have shown minimal improvement, causing growing concern for Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari. India ranks among the worst-performing countries in international road safety parameters, leading the world in road accident deaths.
Surprisingly, 33% of all road accidents and 35% of fatal accidents occurred on national highways and expressways, despite significant investments in their improvement. The highways ministry received a substantial allocation of Rs 2.7 trillion in the Union Budget for the fiscal year 2024.
Human errors continued to be a major contributor to road accidents, with overspeeding accounting for a staggering 71.2% of fatalities. Driving on the wrong side also posed a significant risk, contributing to 5.4% of deaths.
Besides the human toll, experts have also emphasized the economic cost of these accidents. Most victims are young adults, with those in the age group of 18 to 45 years comprising 66.5% of the fatalities in 2022. Working-age individuals between 18 and 60 years accounted for a substantial 83.4% of the overall fatalities.
Notably, 68% of road accident deaths occurred in rural areas, emphasizing the need for targeted safety measures in these regions. Two-wheelers remained the vehicle category most involved in road accidents and fatalities for the second consecutive year, with light vehicles such as cars, jeeps, and taxis following at a distance.
In terms of road-user categories, two-wheeler riders faced the highest fatality rate, accounting for 44.5% of all deaths, followed by pedestrian road-users at 19.5%.
The state-wise breakdown revealed Tamil Nadu as the leader in road accidents on national highways in 2022, with 13.9% of the total accidents, closely followed by Madhya Pradesh at 11.8%. However, Uttar Pradesh topped the list in terms of the number of fatalities, with 13.4% of the total, followed by Tamil Nadu at 10.6%.
These alarming statistics underscore the pressing need for comprehensive reforms in road safety, including strengthened enforcement mechanisms, enhanced driver education and training programs, and investments in improving road conditions and vehicles. India’s roads must become safer to prevent further loss of lives on its highways and streets.