Road accidents claim 1.78 lakh lives annually; 60% of victims aged 18-34
Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday, December 12 blamed lane indiscipline as the primary cause of road accidents in India while acknowledging these have increased despite his efforts to cut down the number by half.
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Speaking during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Gadkari said while overspeeding often grabs headlines, the lack of adherence to to lane discipline is a far graver issue plaguing Indian roads.He emphasised the need to educate youth and children about traffic discipline and urged lawmakers to organise awareness programmes in their constituencies.
Highlighting India’s grim road safety record, Gadkari said road accidents claim 1.78 lakh lives annually, with 60% of victims aged 18-34. Uttar Pradesh leads with over 23,000 fatalities, followed by Tamil Nadu (18,000), Maharashtra (15,000), and Madhya Pradesh (13,000). Among cities, Delhi tops the list with 1,400 deaths, followed by Bengaluru (915) and Jaipur (850).
The minister admitted his personal experience with a severe accident involving his family, adding that improper parking of trucks and lack of lane discipline significantly contribute to fatalities. To address safety, he said his ministry is implementing international standards for bus design, including hammers near windows for emergency use.
“When I go to attend international conferences where there is a discussion on road accidents, I try to hide my face,” Gadkari said, adding that achieving progress requires societal change and respect for the rule of law.
