NEW DELHI: The variety of highway deaths in 2024 is ready to surpass that in 2023 with over two dozen states and UTs, together with Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha, Telangana, Assam and Delhi reporting larger variety of fatalities final 12 months. As per provisional information compiled from states/UTs, excluding West Bengal, somewhat over 1.7 lakh individuals died in highway crashes final 12 months.In 2023, highway crashes had claimed round 1.73 lakh lives, the best ever for a 12 months, and West Bengal had reported 6,027 of those fatalities. Sources mentioned that after information from West Bengal is included, the variety of deaths could be greater than that within the earlier 12 months. Knowledge despatched by states on crashes, fatalities, accidents and the components accountable for them are being rechecked and reconciled earlier than the ultimate report is printed, they added.
Whereas the rise in fatalities regardless of efforts of the federal government to curb them stays an enormous concern, there’s a silver lining to the provisional information for 2024: 9 states and UTs have reported a decline within the variety of deaths. For instance, Kerala reported 3,846 fatalities in 2024 in comparison with 4,080 within the earlier 12 months, and Gujarat recorded 7,717 deaths final 12 months in comparison with 7,854 in 2023.Specialists keep that except there’s a vital dip in fatalities within the 10 states that report a big share of the general determine, attaining the purpose to cut back the variety of highway deaths by half won’t be attainable. “There’s a want for targeted efforts to cut back deadly crashes and deaths on Nationwide Highways and state highways, which account for almost 60% of all fatalities,” mentioned a former Union highway transport secretary.Although information on highway accidents don’t totally characterize the magnitude of the issue provided that not all such incidents are reported or recorded by police, the provisional information present that 35 states and UTs reported over 4.7 lakh crashes in 2024 in comparison with 4.8 lakh within the earlier 12 months.In the meantime, the highway transport ministry plans to amend the Motor Car Act by introducing stricter norms for issuing driving license and unfavourable factors for unhealthy driver conduct that may end up in suspension and even cancellation of licenses.