India's Road Accidents Outpace Other Deaths

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari highlighted a severe road safety crisis in India, stating that road accidents claim more lives annually than wars, militancy, and Naxalism combined. At the FICCI Road Safety Awards and Conclave 2024, he reported that India experiences approximately 500,000 accidents and 150,000 deaths each year, resulting in a GDP loss of about 3%. Gadkari attributed the rising number of accident 'blackspots' to inadequate detailed project reports (DPRs) and poor road engineering practices. He emphasized the need for safety audits of highways and adherence to lane discipline to mitigate these incidents. Additionally, Gadkari announced plans to train ambulance drivers in emergency response techniques to improve victim rescue times. The government aims to enhance public transport safety standards by requiring buses to meet international safety regulations starting in 2025.