The number of road accidents in India increased by 4.2% in 2023, with over 4.8 lakh accidents reported, according to the latest report by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). On average, the country witnessed 55 accidents and 20 deaths every hour.
The report titled “Road Accidents in India – 2023” stated that a total of 4,80,583 accidents were recorded by state and union territory police departments. These accidents claimed 1,72,890 lives and left 4,62,825 people injured.
Young Adults Most Affected
For the fourth consecutive year, the victims of fatal accidents were largely young people in the productive age group. Individuals aged 18–45 years accounted for 66.4% of the victims, while those in the 18–60 years working-age group made up 83.4% of all fatalities.
Distribution of Accidents and Fatalities
Out of the total accidents in 2023:
- 1,50,177 (31.2%) occurred on National Highways (NH) including Expressways,
- 1,05,622 (22.0%) on State Highways (SH),
- 2,24,744 (46.8%) on other roads.
Of the 1,72,890 deaths reported:
- 63,112 (36.5%) occurred on National Highways,
- 39,439 (22.8%) on State Highways,
- 70,339 (40.7%) on other roads.
In terms of fatal accidents (1,60,509 in total):
- 57,467 (35.8%) were on National Highways,
- 36,595 (22.8%) on State Highways,
- 66,447 (41.4%) on other roads.
State-Wise Trends
The report highlighted that Tamil Nadu recorded the highest number of road accidents on National Highways, while Uttar Pradesh reported the maximum number of fatalities.
Causes and Risk Factors
The report noted that road accidents are multi-causal, resulting from human error, road conditions, and vehicular issues. Among traffic violations, over-speeding was the leading cause, responsible for 68.1% of deaths, followed by wrong-side driving (5.5%).
Accident location analysis showed that:
- 45.87% of accidents, 53.64% of deaths, and 46.28% of injuries occurred in open areas (locations with minimal human activity).
- 67% of accidents occurred on straight roads, while curved, pothole-ridden, and steep roads together accounted for only 14.47% of accidents.
Vehicles and Road-User Categories
For the third consecutive year, two-wheelers accounted for the highest share of accidents and fatalities. Light vehicles such as cars, jeeps, and taxis ranked second.
By road-user category:
- Two-wheeler riders made up the highest share of fatalities at 44.8%,
- Pedestrians accounted for 20.4% of total deaths.
The “Road Accidents in India – 2023” report compiles standardized data from state and UT police departments, following formats recommended by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) under the Asia Pacific Road Accident Data (APRAD) project.
