Road Traffic Injuries and Deaths

• Road traffic injuries were the 13th leading cause of death in 2021.
• In six states, including Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, road traffic injuries rank among the top 10 causes of health loss.
• Despite advancements in other sectors, there is minimal progress in reducing road fatalities.

Key Vulnerable Groups

• Motorcyclists, pedestrians, and cyclists are the most vulnerable road users.
• Trucks contribute to a high proportion of fatal crashes.

Governance and Compliance

• States show varying levels of compliance with Supreme Court directives on road safety.
• Helmet usage remains low in rural areas, contributing to higher fatalities.

Findings of the ‘India Status Report on Road Safety 2024’

International Goals and Progress

• India is struggling to meet the United Nations goal to halve traffic deaths by 2030.
• The report reveals slow progress toward reducing road accident fatalities.

State-wise Disparities in Road Safety

• Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh have the highest road accident death rates.
• West Bengal and Bihar have the lowest death rates in India.
• Six states (UP, Maharashtra, MP, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu) account for nearly half of all traffic deaths.

Deficiencies in Crash Surveillance

• India lacks a national crash-level database for comprehensive accident data.
• Current data is aggregated from police stations, leading to inaccurate and incomplete information.

Need for a Crash Surveillance System

Current Data Challenges

• Data is compiled from police records, often containing inaccuracies on key variables like the victim’s mode of transport.
• The lack of a crash surveillance system limits effective intervention and evaluation of road safety measures.

Importance of Crash Surveillance

• A national crash database would enable more detailed analyses and improve road safety management.
• Public access to this data would enhance understanding and monitoring of road safety interventions.

Global Comparison: India’s Position in Road Safety

Global Road Safety Performance

• India fares poorly compared to countries like Sweden and other Scandinavian nations in road safety governance.
• In 1990, an Indian was 40% more likely to die in a road accident than someone in these countries. By 2021, this gap had increased to 600%.

Questions Raised

• The report challenges the notion that better-equipped vehicles are sufficient to reduce fatalities, given that vulnerable groups (two-wheeler riders, cyclists) form the majority of accident victims.

Way Forward

Key Recommendations

• Central and State governments need to scale up road safety interventions.
• Establishment of a national database for fatal crashes is critical for improving road safety management.
• More focused strategies should be adopted, considering the specific challenges faced by different states.