Over 110,000 two-wheeler riders and pedestrians lost their lives on roads in 2024

New Delhi: At least six out of every 10 road accident victims in India will be two-wheelers/pedestrians by 2024, according to the latest report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). Analysis of four years of data shows that both the proportion and number of two-wheeler riders and pedestrians killed in crashes has been rising steadily, even as the government works to make cars safer.NCRB data for 2024 shows that more than 110,000 fatalities (64% of the total road fatalities of 175,000) were between two-wheelers and pedestrians. The data also shows that the proportion of pedestrians killed in road crashes has exceeded that of car occupants, making pedestrians the second most affected category of road users after two-wheel riders. The trend highlights the low priority given to pedestrian safety in the development of the country’s road network.Car occupants accounted for 15.1% of road fatalities in 2021, the second highest proportion (23,531). However, in 2022, pedestrian fatalities reached 24,742, surpassing car occupant fatalities, and this trend has continued over the past three years. In 2024, pedestrian fatalities were 25,769, second only to two-wheeler fatalities (84,599).Road safety experts around the world, including in India, have urged policymakers to pay more attention to the safety of motorized two-wheelers, which remain the most affordable and convenient mode of private transportation for millions of people. They make up almost three-quarters of all vehicles.The highest number of fatalities due to two-wheeler accidents were reported from Tamil Nadu (11,786) and Uttar Pradesh (8,575).According to the report, the majority of road traffic accidents (61.2%) were due to speeding, resulting in a death toll of just over one hundred thousand. Dangerous and careless driving or overtaking claimed 46,132 lives.The road classification of collision data shows that in 2024, approximately 100,000 fatalities were caused by national and state highways (58% of total fatalities).