In the budding era of rapid development, India is witnessing an alarming surge in road accidents, leading to a significant loss of life and property. To inform the public and authorities about this crucial issue, a detailed report called ‘Road Accidents in India-2022’ has been released by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. This report, compiled with data from police departments across all states and union territories in compliance with the formats provided by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), forms an integral part of the Asia Pacific Road Accident Data (APRAD) base project.
Highlighting Key Points of the Report
The report has revealed that a total of 4,61,312 road accidents occurred in India in 2022, which led to 1,68,491 fatalities and 4,43,366 injuries. These figures have seen a year-on-year increase of 11.9% in accidents, 9.4% in deaths, and 15.3% in people injured.
An analysis of the distribution of accidents showed that National Highways and Expressways witnessed 32.9% of accidents, State Highways encountered 23.1% and the remaining 43.9% took place on other roads. As for the fatalities, 36.2% occurred on National Highways, 24.3% on State Highways and 39.4% happened on other roads.
The Demographics and Vehicle Categories Impacted
Young adults between the age of 18 and 45 years suffered the most, comprising 66.5% of total victims, and the working age group of 18 – 60 years contributed to 83.4% of total accident deaths. Interestingly, rural areas recorded 68% of accident deaths, whereas urban areas accounted for a lesser 32%.
Two-wheelers were involved in the majority of accidents and deaths for the second consecutive year, followed by light vehicles including cars, jeeps, and taxis.
The Road-User Categories
According to the road-user categories, two-wheeler riders constituted the biggest share of total fatalities, followed by pedestrians.
State-Specific Data
In terms of state-specific data, Tamil Nadu topped the list with 13.9% of total accidents, followed by Madhya Pradesh at 11.8%. Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of deaths due to road accidents.
International Comparison
In a global comparison of road accident deaths, India leads the chart, followed by China and the United States. On the other hand, Venezuela holds the highest rate of people killed per 1,00,000 population.
Assessing the Indian Road Network
The report also delves into the status of India’s road network, revealing that India’s road density is higher than many developed countries. National Highways constitute only 2.09% of the total road length of the country, while the surfaced/paved road, constituting 64.7 % of total road length, is relatively lower compared to developed countries.
Road Safety Measures
To combat the escalating issue of road accidents, various measures have been put into place. They involve creating public awareness, making road safety an integral part of road design at the planning stage, mandatory Road Safety Audits (RSA) of all highway projects and increased electronic monitoring and enforcement of road safety rules.
Global and Indian Initiatives for Road Safety
On a global scale, initiatives like the Brasilia Declaration on Road Safety, Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030, and the International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) were introduced.
In India, acts like the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act, 2019, The Carriage by Road Act, 2007, The Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2000, and National Highways Authority of India Act, 1998 are in place to ensure road safety.