Explained: How Road Accidents Are Taking Lives In India And Costing The Country¡¯s GDP

Once Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said that India's road accident is more "dangerous than the Covid-19 pandemic¡±.

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A new Lancet study stated that steps to check speeding can save 20,554 lives annually. It emphasised the four key risk factors which are speeding, drunk driving, non-use of crash helmets and seatbelts and interventions that would help in preventing 25% to 40% of 13.5 lakh fatal road injuries every year across the world.

The study said that interventions to check speeding could save 20,554 lives and the promotion of crash helmets could save 5,683 lives. The use of seatbelts could save 3,204 lives in India.

How many people die in road accidents in India?

According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways¡¯ 2020 report, road accidents caused a total of 1,31,714 deaths, where speeding accounted for 69.3% of deaths ( 91,239), non-wearing of helmets caused 30.1% of deaths (39,798) and non-use of seatbelts caused 11.5% of deaths (26,896).

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According to a report by the World Bank, India accounts for the highest number of death in road accidents in the world. Notably, India accounts for 11 per cent of the global death in road accidents despite having 1% of the world¡¯s vehicles.

About 4.5 lakh road crashes every year in India, of which 1.5 lakh people die. The report stated, "India tops the world in road crash deaths and injuries. It has 1 per cent of the world's vehicles but accounts for 11 per cent of all road crash deaths, witnessing 53 road crashes every hour; killing 1 person every 4 minutes.¡±

About 13 lakh people died and another 50 lakh got injured on Indian roads in the last decade.

How much does it cost to India¡¯s economy?

The World Bank report also estimated that the accidents cost Rs 5.96 lakh crore or 3.14 % of gross domestic product (GDP).

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Another report published by the World Bank in 2019, titled 'Guide for Road Safety Opportunities and Challenges: Low- and Middle-Income Countries Country Profiles' revealed that road crashes ad serious injuries cost an estimated Rs 12.9 lakh crore or 7.5 per cent of Country¡¯s GDP in 2016. The data is more than double of figure provided by the government i.e. 3 % of GDP or Rs 4.3 lakh crore.

While a study conducted by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways the socio-economic costs of road crashes are over Rs 1,47,114 crore or 0.77 per cent of India¡¯s GDP.

Fatality rate is 3 times higher in low-income countries

Road traffic injuries are the 8th leading cause of death in the world. Significantly, 76.2% of people who died in road accidents/crashes were between the ages of 18-45 years, as per the ministry.

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The low-income countries have reported three times higher road crash fatality rates as compared to high-income countries. According to the World Bank, "poor people ( daily wage workers and workers employed as casual labourers in informal activities) are more likely to be involved in a road traffic crash.¡±

It imposes a financial burden on households and pushes them into poverty and the already poor into debt.

Nitin Gadkari said that over Rs 90 lakh per person can be saved by preventing deaths and reducing injuries to minor ones in such incidents. It cost around Rs 91.16 lakh to India.

What are the solutions?

Lancet report suggests that the use of electronic speed control and infrastructure change could save an estimated 3,47,258 lives globally each year. And, 16,304 lives could be saved if enhanced drunk driving rules are enforced. While enforcement of rules on wearing seatbelts and motorcycle helmets could save over 1,21,083 and 51,698 lives, respectively.

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Nitin Gadkari aims to halve the numbers for India by 2024. India is a signatory of the Brasilia Declaration on Road Safety (2015), the second Global High-Level Conference on Road Safety held in Brazil. The countries aim to achieve half the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents by 2030.

UN Global Road Safety Week:

Motor Vehicles Amendment Act, 2019 hikes the penalties for traffic violations, defective vehicles, juvenile driving, etc. Under the act, the National Road Safety Board was created by the Central Government. Further, the good samaritans are also given protection under the law.