Over-speeding led to maximum number of road crashes and deaths in India in 2019, revealed the annual road accident report of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
According to the report released by the ministry’s Transport Research Wing, 1,51,113 people were killed, and 4,51,361 persons were injured in 4,49,002 road crashes in India in 2019. The country saw 1,230 road crashes and 414 deaths every day or 51 crashes and 17 deaths every hour.
The number of pedestrians killed in road crashes increased from 22,656 in 2018, to 25,858 in 2019 i.e., increase of about 14.13 per cent. Together, two wheelers and pedestrians accounted for 54 per cent of the accident related killings and are the most vulnerable category. Gender wise, 1,29,319 (86 per cent) males and 21,794 (14 per cent) females lost their lives to road crashes in 2019. The non-use of helmets caused 44,666 (approx 30 per cent) deaths and non-use of seat belts caused 20,885 (14 per cent) deaths in 2019.