NEW DELHI: A new report from the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways reveals that Delhi recorded the highest number of road crash fatalities in 2023, making it the worst-affected city in India for the second consecutive year. With 1,457 deaths from 5,834 accidents, the national capital leads a grim list that highlights the escalating road safety crisis in urban centers.
The report also shows that Bengaluru maintained its unenviable position as the second-worst-affected city, with fatalities jumping by an alarming 19.5% to 915 deaths in 2023, up from 772 the previous year. While Delhi saw a fractional improvement in its death toll, the collective numbers underscore a worrying trend. Jaipur and Kanpur also retained their third and fourth positions from 2022, with Jaipur’s deaths rising by over 10% to 849.
Urban Centers Account for a Disproportionate Share
Collectively, India’s million-plus cities, which account for only 16.9% of all road accidents, were responsible for 41.1% of the total deaths within all 50 such cities in 2023. The total number of road accidents across these major urban centers surged by 5.7% in 2023, outpacing the 4.2% increase observed nationwide. The report points out that a significant portion of these accidents—45.66%—occurred in just ten cities, including Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad.
The data further highlights the extreme vulnerability of two-wheeler riders and pedestrians. Two-wheelers accounted for the highest share of accidents (48.6%), followed by pedestrians at 23.7%. While the overall accident severity for million-plus cities decreased slightly, the rising number of accidents and fatalities in major metropolitan areas underscores the urgent need for stricter enforcement of traffic laws and improved urban road infrastructure.