2017 witnessed a decrease in road accidents in India by 3.3% and injuries by 4.8% as compared to the year
2016.This is mentioned in the report“Road Accidents in India-2017” published by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH). Though the number of deaths due to road accidents in 2017 has been less as compared to 2016, yet road traffic injuries continue to be one of the leading causes of death, disabilities and hospitalization in the country. The top 5 among the States which achieved reduction in number of accident fatalities are Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Telangana. The top 5 among the States which recorded higher number of accident fatalities are Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Jharkhand.
- A total of 4,64,910 road accidents have been reported by States and Union Territories (UTs) in the calendar year 2017, claiming 1,47,913 lives and causing injuries to 4,70,975 persons.
- Young adults in the age group of 18 – 45 years accounted for 72.1 per cent of victims during 2017.
- In terms of road-user categories, the share of two-wheeler riders in total fatality has been highest (33%) in 2017.
- Among vehicle categories involved in road accidents, two-wheelers accounted for the highest share (33.9%) in total accidents and fatalities (29.8%) in 2017.
Major parameters of road accident statistics in 2017 vis-à-vis 2016
| Parameter | 2016 | 2017 | % change over previous year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of road accidents | 4,80,652 | 4,64,910 | -3.3 |
| Number of persons killed | 1,50,785 | 1,47,913 | -1.9 |
| Number of persons injured | 4,94,624 | 4,70,975 | -4.8 |
| Accident Severity (persons killed per 100 accidents) | 31.4 | 31.8 | 0.4* |
Though the above statistics show a reduction of road accidents from last year, to minimise the number of road accidents further Consumer VOICE and its state partners have requested the government to pass the Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill (2017) in the upcoming winter sessionof the Parliament. Click here to read the full MoRTH Report