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Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have witnessed the highest number of road accidents in the last five years, with over 7.77 lakh fatalities across India in the 2018-2022 period, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said.
The report, based on data received from various states and Union Territories, shows a troubling rise in road fatalities between 2018 and 2022. The total number of road accident fatalities in the country reached 1,68,491 in 2022, a noticeable increase from 1,53,972 in 2021, according to the data released on Wednesday as part of the ‘Road Accidents in India, 2022' report.
Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of road accidents with 22,595 deaths in 2022 alone. Maharashtra followed with 15,224 deaths in 2022, while Tamil Nadu reported 17,884 deaths in the same year. These states account for a significant portion of India's total road accident fatalities, with a large share attributed to speeding, mobile phone use, drunken driving and driver indiscipline.
Top 10 states with the highest number of accident fatalities in five years (2018-2022):
Uttar Pradesh - 1,08,882 deaths
Tamil Nadu - 84,316 deaths
Maharashtra - 66,370 deaths
Madhya Pradesh - 58,580 deaths
Karnataka - 53,448 deaths
Rajasthan - 51,280 deaths
Andhra Pradesh - 39,058 deaths
Bihar - 36,191 deaths
Telangana - 35,565 deaths
Gujarat - 36,626 deaths
On Thursday, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said he felt embarrassed attending international conferences on road accidents, adding he had to "hide his face". He acknowledged that despite setting a target to reduce accidents by 50 per cent, road accidents have, in fact, increased in India. Mr Gadkari said there was a need for change in human behaviour and societal norms, adding we must inculcate respect for the rule of law to improve road safety.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has introduced several measures focusing on education, engineering, enforcement and emergency care. Key initiatives include stricter penalties under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, of 2019, and the use of technology like e-challans to curb traffic violations. Over 23 crore e-challans, amounting to over Rs 36,700 crore, have been issued since 2020.
The government has mandated road safety audits for National Highway projects, ensuring road safety is integrated from the design phase to maintenance. The state governments, along with the Centre, have also been working towards creating awareness and improving infrastructure through various schemes, such as setting up Model Driving Training Institutes and enhancing public transport systems.