Nitin Gadkari Expresses Concern Over Rising Road Accidents in India, Calls for Improved Safety Measures

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari expressed his concerns about road safety in India, saying he feels embarrassed when road accidents are discussed at international conferences. Speaking during a Lok Sabha session on Thursday, he admitted that he had hoped to reduce road accidents by 50% when he became the Minister for Road Transport and Highways, but instead, the number of accidents has increased.

He shared that he feels the urge to hide his face when attending global discussions on road safety because the situation in India is so dire.

Gadkari emphasized that changing people’s behavior and following traffic laws are key to improving road safety. He also recalled a personal experience when he and his family were involved in a serious accident, which left him in the hospital for a long time. Thankfully, they escaped without serious injuries, and he gained firsthand experience of the dangers of road accidents.

One of the main causes of accidents, according to Gadkari, is the improper parking of trucks on roads and their failure to follow lane discipline.

Gadkari also called for buses in India to meet international safety standards, including the installation of hammers near bus windows to allow passengers to break the glass in case of an emergency. He pointed out that road accidents cause around 178,000 deaths annually in India, with 60% of the victims aged between 18 and 34.

Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of fatalities, with over 23,000 deaths (13.7% of total accidents). Tamil Nadu (18,000), Maharashtra (15,000), and Madhya Pradesh (13,000) also have high accident rates. In cities, Delhi has the highest number of deaths, with over 1,400, followed by Bengaluru (915) and Jaipur (850).