Road Accidents in India -2022”: Over 4,61312 toll reduction measures are mandatory to prevent loss of lives in road accidents
Road accidents and its fatal consequences have been always a grave concern and now it need serious attention and improvement measures because of increasing toll with vehicular population and its movement.
The yearly report on ‘Road Accidents in India- 2022’ comprises alarming facts. It presents that in the year 2022, there were total 4,61312 incidences of road accidents nationwide which claimed 1,8,491 lives and caused injury to 4,43,366 persons. Data of road accidents, killed and injured have increased respectively by 11.9%, 9.4% and15.3% in 2022 as compared to previous year 2021.
In 2022, National Highways witnessed 1,51,997 accidents, 32.9 % of total accidents and 61,038 deaths, 36.2 percent of total casualty. Meanwhile, 23.1% of total accidents and 24.3 % of casualty occurred on state roads. 43.9 percent of total accidents and 39.4 percent of total deaths were reported on other roads.
The figures in the report says that on an average, into 1,264 accidents and 462 deaths every day or 53 accidents and 19 deaths every hour in the country.
As per this analysis, in 2022, Tamil Nadu is reported at the top with 64,105 accidents which is 13.9 percent of the total accidents. Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh are also amongst the top states in number of accident and the accidents severity rates is higher than national average.
Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana are with highest share of accidents and fatalities in 2022 whereas registered accident severity rate is lower than all India average.
Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari expressed concern and emphasized on more attention with collective action to mitigate the fatal occurrences. Shri Gadkari underlines that it is our common responsibility to find out the root cause and work on that collectively so that a safe vehicle environment can be ensured.
Speeding, drunken drive, adherence to traffic rules, road infrastructure and enforcement mechanism are major sectors which needed to be improved. Apart from Govt agencies, citizens of the nation also need to contribute by adhering the traffic rules.
Whenever you go to drive, remember to contribute in the Government mission of making the road safer. A road accident not only results into death or injury but also upset the lives of kin.
Ministry of Road and Transport devised a multi-pronged strategy comprising education, engineering for roads & vehicles, enforcement and emergency care to control such unfortunate happenings. Various media platforms and modes i.e. print, electronic & digital are being operated to aware people about road safety and traffic rules.
Government made mandatory provision for airbags, mandatory fitments, Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), speed limit, inspection & certification centre, vehicle scrapping policy and automated testing stations.
The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 came as amendment in The Motor Vehicles Act 1988 enabling strict penalties to stop the violation of safety rules.
Compensation to victims of Hit & Run motor accidents has been increased from ₹ 12,500 to ₹ 50,000 for serious injury and from ₹25,000 to ₹ 2,00,000 for death.
Apart from these, the National Highways Authority of India made provisions for ambulances with paramedical staff/Emergency Medical Technician/Nurse at toll plazas on the complete corridor of National Highways, to protect the valuable lives.
