Road accidents in the country are often linked to speeding, carelessness and breaking rules, but a new report has revealed the shocking truth. Most of the deaths are occurring in such accidents in which there is no major violation of traffic rules, in such a situation the question arises that if the driver is not at fault, then why are lives being lost? In this report, the reality of India’s roads has come to light, which has been ignored till now and this is the reason for road accidents.

What is the real cause of road accidents?

The joint report of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and Save Life Foundation has raised serious questions regarding road safety in India. According to the report, 59 percent of the people who died in road accidents did not die due to any traffic violation. This clearly means that poor road design, weak engineering and shoddy construction are also proving fatal.

The most dangerous time from evening to night

The report shows that 53 percent of the total road accident deaths occurred between 6 pm and 12 midnight. At this time, low light, fatigue and high speed increase the risk of accidents manifold. The special thing is that in these accidents, a large number of people were following the rules.

100 most dangerous districts of the country

This study focuses on those 100 districts of the country where maximum deaths occur in road accidents. Nashik rural district of Maharashtra is at first place in this list. After this comes Pune Rural, Patna and Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. According to the report, 89,085 people died in these 100 districts alone during 2023 and 2024, which is more than 25 percent of the total road accident deaths in the country.

India leads the world in road accidents

India ranks first in the world in terms of deaths in road accidents. According to statistics, there are only 36 percent road deaths in China compared to India and about 25 percent in America. In two years, 35 lakh people lost their lives in about 9.68 lakh road accidents across the country. This situation is a very serious warning for India.

In which states the situation is worse

It was told in the report that the highest number of dangerous districts is in Uttar Pradesh, where 20 districts are included in this list. After this there are 19 districts of Tamil Nadu, 11 of Maharashtra, 9 of Karnataka and 8 of Rajasthan. This shows that the problem is not just of one state but of the entire country.

Lots of roads, less security

India’s road network is the second largest in the world, whose length is about 63.45 lakh kilometers. This includes national highways, state highways and other roads. Surprisingly, about 63 percent of total road accident deaths occur outside national highways. This means that familiar roads and connectivity routes are proving to be more dangerous.

fixed locations of accidents

According to the report, most of the accidents happen repeatedly at certain places. 54 percent deaths were recorded only on 18 important roads of the National Highway Authority and the State Public Works Department. 379 such places have been identified on these routes, which are considered extremely dangerous.

Collision methods and fatal causes

Of the total deaths, 72 percent are related to rear-end collisions, head-on collisions and pedestrians being crushed. Talking about rule violations, 19 percent deaths occurred due to speeding, 7 percent due to careless driving and 3 percent due to dangerous overtaking.

Bad engineering became a major reason

The report has identified 20 common deficiencies related to road engineering. These include broken or weak crash barriers, erased road markings, concrete structures standing without protection, incorrect or broken sign boards and lack of adequate street lighting. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has also many times cited poor civil engineering and weak DPR as the major reasons for accidents.

What is the solution?

The report says that there is no need for new plans. It is important that the existing government schemes are implemented properly. There should be better coordination between road agencies, police and hospitals. Safety audit on dangerous roads, strengthening of police stations and improving the quality of ambulance services can be important steps.

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