India's National Highways Witness Alarming 26,770 Road Accident Deaths in 6 Months

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): A staggering 26,770 lives were lost in road accidents on National Highways in the first six months of 2025, according to a recent parliamentary update. The Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari revealed that a total of 52,609 fatal accidents occurred on National Highways in 2024.

Government Initiatives to Enhance Road Safety

To combat the rising number of road accidents, the National Highways Authority of India has implemented Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS) on high-density National Highways and Expressways. Some of the key routes where ATMS has been installed include:

1. Delhi-Meerut Expressway

2. Trans-Haryana Expressway

3. Eastern Peripheral Expressway

4. Delhi-Mumbai Expressway

Road Accident Statistics in India

India reports the highest number of road accident deaths globally, with over 150,000 fatalities recorded in 2022. The main causes of road accidents include:

1. Over-speeding: responsible for 7 out of every 10 fatalities

2. Drunken driving: contributing to a significant number of accidents

3. Non-use of helmets and seat belts: leading to increased fatalities among two-wheeler riders and four-wheeler occupants

4. Driving on the wrong side: another major contributor to road accidents

The government aims to reduce road fatalities and injuries by 50% by 2030, as per its commitment under the Stockholm Declaration