Road Deaths in India and Sikkim

NEW DELHI: India's record in road deaths has touched a new low, as toll rose to at least 14 deaths per hour in 2008 against 13 the previous year. The total annual deaths due to road accidents has crossed 1.18 lakh, according to the latest report of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

While trucks/lorries and two-wheelers were responsible for over 40% deaths, the rush during afternoon and evening hours were the most fatal phases. Traffic experts are alarmed over the shooting trend of fatalities on roads between 2003 and 2008, and progressive states having a significant share of road fatalities. While the toll was only 84,430 in 2003, it crossed 1.18 lakh in 2008, an increase of nearly 40%. Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu reported 12%, 11% and 10.8% of total road accident deaths in the country.

"The toll is on the rise and no one knows who is to be held responsible. Should central assistance for curbing accidents and fatalities be cut in case of states which are failing to reduce accidents and deaths? We must give a thought to the increasing tally of injured in road accidents," said Rohit Baluja, a member of the Commission for Global Road Safety.

In fact, 4.69 lakh people were injured in road accidents in 2008, nearly four times the total death toll. As per the annual NCRB report, road accidents had the maximum (37.1%) share of unnatural causes of accidental deaths in the country.

The report also defined the period between 3-6pm as the most accident prone phase during the day. Traffic experts said accident rates were high during this period as drivers felt stressed out and were often half-asleep while driving. "Early morning hours are also similarly critical," they added.

According to the report, small states had a dubious record as far as the rate of accident-deaths per thousand vehicles was concerned. It was highest in Arunachal Pradesh at 5.7, followed by 3.6 in the case of Sikkim. Similarly, the rate of deaths per 100 cases of road accidents was highest in Nagaland at 92.1 followed by Mizoram at 89.7, against the national level of 28.4.