A death every three minutes: Why India's roads are among the world's deadliest

In 2023, India faced a severe road safety crisis, with over 480,000 road accidents resulting in more than 172,000 fatalities. This alarming statistic translates to an average of 474 deaths each day, or nearly one person every three minutes. The daily news is filled with tragic stories of road accidents, including passenger buses plunging into deep gorges, drunk drivers colliding with pedestrians, and cars crashing into stationary trucks. These incidents highlight a significant issue: the safety of Indian roads. Among the victims were 10,000 children, and another 10,000 fatalities occurred near schools and colleges. Pedestrians were also heavily affected, with 35,000 losing their lives. Speeding emerged as the leading cause of these accidents, while a lack of basic safety measures contributed to the high death toll. For instance, 54,000 individuals died because they were not wearing helmets, and 16,000 lost their lives due to not using seatbelts. Other contributing factors included overloading vehicles, which accounted for 12,000 deaths, and driving without a valid license, which was involved in 34,000 crashes. Additionally, driving on the wrong side of the road also played a role in many fatalities. In 2021, 13% of accidents involved drivers with learner permits or no valid licenses. The road environment in India is further complicated by a chaotic mix of traffic. The roads are crowded with various users, including motorized vehicles like cars, buses, and motorcycles, as well as non-motorized transport such as bicycles, cycle rickshaws, and pedestrians. Hawkers often occupy roads and footpaths, forcing pedestrians onto busy streets and complicating traffic flow. Despite ongoing efforts and investments to improve road safety, India's roads remain among the most dangerous in the world. Experts argue that this crisis is not solely due to infrastructure issues but also stems from human behavior, enforcement gaps, and systemic neglect. The economic burden of road crashes is significant, as India has the second-largest road network globally, spanning 6. 6 million kilometers. National and state highways make up about 5% of this network, while the remaining roads include expressways. There are approximately 350 million registered vehicles in the country. Minister Gadkari emphasized that many accidents occur because people lack respect for the law. He pointed out that human behavior is a major factor in road accidents. However, he also highlighted other issues, such as poor road design, substandard construction, and inadequate signage, which contribute to the high accident rate. Road safety audits conducted by the Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Centre at IIT Delhi have revealed serious flaws in India's road infrastructure. For example, crash barriers, which are designed to stop vehicles safely, often fail to do so due to improper installation. Similarly, tall medians on high-speed roads can lead to dangerous situations when vehicles collide with them. The design standards for roads may look good on paper, but they are poorly enforced in reality. Minister Gadkari recently announced plans to widen roads to four lanes, claiming it would significantly reduce accidents. However, experts like Kavi Bhalla from the University of Chicago are skeptical, arguing that simply widening roads may not lead to fewer traffic deaths. They believe that road upgrades often result in higher speeds, which can be deadly for pedestrians and cyclists. To address the growing road safety crisis, the government is implementing the '5Es' strategy, which focuses on engineering roads, improving vehicle safety, educating the public, enforcing traffic laws, and providing emergency care. Experts agree that while building more roads is essential for India's growth, it should not come at the expense of pedestrian and cyclist safety. The goal should be to create safer roads for everyone.