India’s high road deaths require change

India’s road deaths are providing a wider cause for concern. Official data pegs the road fatality rate for the country at over 146,000 in 2015, an increase over the 139,671 recorded in 2014. However there are also thought to be many unreported deaths, so the actual figure could be considerably higher. India's Ministry of State for Road Transport and Highways has revealed that there were 501,423 reported road crashes in 2015, a worrying increase from the 489,400 crashes in 2014. There were more than 500,0
December 8, 2016 Read time: 1 min
India’s road deaths are providing a wider cause for concern. Official data pegs the road fatality rate for the country at over 146,000 in 2015, an increase over the 139,671 recorded in 2014. However there are also thought to be many unreported deaths, so the actual figure could be considerably higher.

India's Ministry of State for Road Transport and Highways has revealed that there were 501,423 reported road crashes in 2015, a worrying increase from the 489,400 crashes in 2014. There were more than 500,000 people injured on India’s roads in 2015, compared with 493,474 in 2014. The data reveals that this is the second year that India has seen its rate of increases in those killed or seriously injured in road crashes. A UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) study suggests that the annual cost of road crashes is around 3% of India’s GDP or over US$58 billion.

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