Road Accidents in India Report, 2022

02.11.2023

Road Accidents in India Report, 2022 , Daily Current Affairs , RACE IAS : Best IAS Coaching in Lucknow 

Why in the news?

Recently, the annual report of road accidents in India has been unveiled by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.  

Important points:

In 2022, Tamil Nadu topped in the number of road accidents, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh topped in the number of deaths due to road accidents, followed by Tamil Nadu.

Road Accidents in India Report, 2022 :

• This report presents data/information received from police departments of States/UTs on calendar year basis in standardized formats provided by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) under Asia Pacific Road Accident Data (UNESCAP). based on.
• According to the report, a total of 4,61,312 road accidents were recorded by states and union territories (UTs) during the calendar year 2022, in which 1,68,491 people lost their lives and 4,43,366 were injured. There has been an increase of 11.9% in accidents, 9.4% in deaths and 15.3% in injuries compared to the previous year.
• The report emphasizes the urgency of adopting a comprehensive approach to address the factors contributing to these accidents, which include speeding, reckless driving, drunk driving and non-compliance with traffic rules.

Key findings of the Road Accidents in India Report, 2022:

• According to the report, 19 people die in road accidents every hour in India.
• Area of accidents: 32.9% on national highways, 23.1% on road highways and 43.9% on other roads.
• Rural versus urban cases: About 69% occurred in rural areas and about 32% in urban areas.
• Age group: 66.5% young adults (18–45 years of age).
• Type of users: 44.5% two-wheelers followed by 19.5% pedestrians.
• Vehicles covered: Two-wheelers remain at the top for the second consecutive year followed by light vehicles.

Importance of Road Accidents in India Report, 2022:

• The publication “Road Accidents in India-2022” serves as a valuable resource for policy makers, researchers and stakeholders in the field of road safety.
• It provides in-depth information on various aspects of road accidents, including their causes, locations and their impact on different categories of road users.
• The report also highlights the emerging trends, challenges and road safety initiatives of the Ministry.

Major road safety initiatives of the Ministry:

International Cooperation: The Ministry is actively involved in initiatives such as international cooperation for implementation of modern transport systems, road safety audits and learning from global best practices.

Real-time data analysis: Initiatives like electronic detailed accident reports (e-DAR) for real-time data analysis and automated vehicle inspection centers are also underway to deal with road accidents.

The ministry is also working on various aspects such as road user behaviour, road infrastructure, vehicle standards, enforcement of traffic rules and role of technology in accident prevention.

Multi-Pronged Strategy: The Ministry in collaboration with various organizations as well as stakeholders has launched a multi-pronged strategy to address the issue of road safety focusing on all 4Es including education, engineering (both road and vehicle), enforcement and emergency care. A three-dimensional strategy has been prepared.

Road Safety Week: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India celebrated "Swachhta Pakhwada" from 11 to 17 January 2023, under which Road Safety Week was celebrated.

The objective of this initiative was to spread the word about the need for safe roads for the benefit of all.

Other Initiatives: National Highways Authority of India Act, 1998, National Highways Control (Land and Traffic) Act, 2000, Road Vehicles Act, 2007, Motor Vehicles Amendment Act, 2019.

Measures to control road accidents:

• Speed-detection device.
• Transparent machinery.
• Strict rules and heavy fines.
• Vehicle Safety Standards.
• Training and capacity building.
• Role of public.

Source: Hindustan times