Gadkari revealed that 1,78,000 people die annually in road accidents, of which 60 per cent are between the ages of 18 and 34. He also revealed the four states that have the highest number of road accidents.
Millions of people die in road accidents every year, and most of the victims are in the age group of 18-34, Nitin Gadkari told the winter session of Parliament on Friday. The Union Minister for Roads, Transport and Highways expressed dismay at the road safety situation in India. He admitted that he faced difficulties in the international conference while addressing the issues of road safety in the country. During the session, he named the Indian states that recorded the highest number of road accidents annually and Uttar Pradesh topped the list.
Gadkari revealed that 23,652 people died in road accidents in Uttar Pradesh, which is 13.7% of the total deaths due to road accidents. With over 18,347 deaths, Tamil Nadu stands as the second state with the highest number of road accidents. Maharashtra, with more than 15,366 (or Madhya Pradesh with more than 13,798 deaths), is one of the four Indian states with the highest number of road accidents.
Gadkari revealed that 1,78,000 people die every year in road accidents, of which 60 percent are between the ages of 18 and 34. The minister admitted that his initial target of reducing accidents and fatalities by 50 per cent by the end of 2024 had not been met. He admitted that the accident had increased. He admitted that this is one area where his department is not meeting its objectives.
Gadkari emphasized that despite the large number of accidents, citizens lacked fear of the law. According to him, accidents are increasing because many people do not wear helmets and jump red signals. He also said that truck parking on the road is a major cause of accidents as many trucks do not obey lane rules. To address this, he ordered authorities to adopt international standards for manufacturing bus bodies in India. Also, he suggested that a hammer should be placed near the window to avoid accidents in the bus.
Gadkari’s concern about road safety is deeply personal, as he and his family were involved in a major accident a few years ago. Fortunately, they survived, but the experience has inspired his commitment to improving road safety in India.