Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari addressed the alarming rise in road accidents during a session of Parliament on Thursday, emphasising the need for a fundamental change in human behaviour to improve safety on Indian roads.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Gadkari acknowledged the troubling trend, stating, “Forget about reducing the number of accidents; I have no hesitation in admitting that it has increased.” He expressed his embarrassment when representing India at international conferences discussing road safety issues.
Gadkari highlighted that road accidents claim approximately 178,000 lives each year in India, with 60% of the victims aged between 18 and 34 years. He noted that Uttar Pradesh leads the country in road accident fatalities, with over 23,000 deaths, followed by Tamil Nadu with more than 18,000 and Maharashtra with over 15,000.
He said while Uttar Pradesh leads the chart among states, Delhi tops the list for cities. In Maharashtra, the figure stands at over 15,000 (or nine per cent of the total deaths), followed by Madhya Pradesh with over 13,000 (eight per cent) deaths.
Delhi leads the city chart with over 1,400 deaths, followed by Bengaluru with 915 deaths. Jaipur registers 850 deaths due to road accidents.
He said parking of trucks on the road is a major cause for accidents, and many of the trucks don’t follow lane discipline.
He said he has ordered them to follow international standards in making bus bodies in India. There has to be a hammer near a bus window so that it can be broken easily in case of accidents, he said.
In response to concerns raised during the Question Hour, Gadkari stressed the importance of societal change and respect for the rule of law to address the crisis. He pointed out that improper truck parking and a lack of lane discipline are significant contributors to accidents. To enhance safety, he announced plans to enforce international standards for bus manufacturing, including the installation of hammers near bus windows for emergency situations.
Reflecting on his personal experience, Gadkari shared that he and his family were involved in a serious accident years ago, which left him hospitalized for an extended period. “By the grace of God, I and my family were saved. So I have my personal experience of accidents,” he stated.