TL;DR India recorded nearly 4.68 lakh road accidents in 2024, resulting in more than 4.48 lakh injuries and 1.75 lakh deaths. On average, 1,282 road accidents and 480 deaths occur every single day. Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) shows that both the number of accidents and fatalities have steadily increased since 2020. Two-wheeler users accounted for the highest number of victims, while human error such as overspeeding and careless driving remained the leading cause of deaths. Fatality ratios on expressways were consistently much higher than on other roads, indicating that crashes on high-speed corridors are often deadlier.

Context

Barely a day passes in India without news of a fatal road accident. From overloaded trucks overturning on highways to speeding motorcycles colliding at intersections, road crashes have become a grim part of everyday life.

In 2024 alone, an average of 480 people died every day due to road accidents. That means roughly one person loses their life every three minutes. At the same time, India witnessed an average of 1,282 road accidents daily, underlining the scale of the crisis. Road accidents are not just isolated incidents. They affect families, livelihoods, healthcare systems, and public infrastructure. Young working-age adults, delivery workers, commuters, and pedestrians are often among the worst affected.

Who Compiles This Data?
The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, publishes annual data on road accidents through its Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India (ADSI) reports. The dataset includes information on accidents, injuries, deaths, causes, vehicle types, and road categories across India.

Where can I download Clean & Structured Data Road Accidents in India?

Clean, standardised, structured, and ready-to-use datasets on road accidents, injuries, fatalities, road types, transport modes, and causes are available for download from Dataful.

Key Insights

Road Accidents and Deaths Continue to Rise in India

Between 2020 and 2024, the number of road accidents in India increased from 3.55 lakh to 4.68 lakh, a rise of nearly 32%. During the same period, deaths rose from 1.33 lakh to 1.75 lakh, while injuries increased from 3.35 lakh to 4.48 lakh.

The sharpest increase came between 2020 and 2021, likely due to increased mobility after COVID-19 lockdowns.

In 2024 alone:

• 4.68 lakh accidents were recorded

• 4.48 lakh people were injured

• 1.75 lakh people died

The relatively faster rise in deaths suggests crashes are becoming increasingly fatal.

Expressways Continue to Record the Deadliest Crashes

Road-wise fatality ratios show major differences in crash severity across road types. The fatality ratio refers to deaths per 100 accidents. Expressways consistently recorded the highest fatality ratios:

• 63 deaths per 100 accidents in 2020

• Peaked at 73 in 2022

• Declined to 59 in 2024

In comparison, national highways recorded 44 deaths per 100 accidents in 2024, while other roads recorded 32.

The high fatality ratio on expressways suggests that high-speed crashes are often more severe and less survivable. However, the decline after 2022 may indicate improvements in enforcement, surveillance, or emergency response systems.

Two-Wheeler Users Continue to Bear the Brunt of Road Crashes

Two-wheelers accounted for the largest share of both injuries and deaths in 2024.

• Around 2.20 lakh two-wheeler users were injured

• Nearly 84,600 died

Almost half of all road accident injuries involved two-wheelers. Further, Cars recorded the second-highest number of victims:

• 72,657 injuries

• 23,739 deaths

Truck and lorry crashes resulted in comparatively fewer injuries but a high number of deaths, at nearly 13,800, indicating greater crash severity.

The dominance of two-wheeler victims reflects India’s growing dependence on motorcycles and scooters, especially in urban and semi-urban areas.

Human Error Dominates Road Accident Deaths

Human errors remained the biggest contributor to road fatalities in 2024.

• Human error-related causes accounted for over 1.5 lakh deaths

• Other factors together accounted for about 21,500 deaths

In other words, nearly 7 out of every 8 road accident deaths were linked to human error.

Among the major causes:

• Over speeding caused more than 1.01 lakh deaths

• Careless driving caused over 46,000 deaths

• Driving under influence caused around 3,400 deaths

In comparison, infrastructure issues and vehicle defects contributed to relatively fewer deaths. Animal crossings and poor visibility also emerged as notable external causes, especially during winter months in northern India.

“Other Causes” accounted for over 8,600 deaths, suggesting cases where exact causes were unclear or involved multiple contributing factors.

Why Does It Matter?

Road accidents are among the leading causes of preventable deaths in India. Beyond fatalities, they also result in long-term disabilities, livelihood losses, and emotional trauma for families.

The data highlights several structural concerns:

• Weak enforcement of traffic rules

• Over speeding and reckless driving

• Inadequate pedestrian and two-wheeler safety

• Limited trauma and emergency response systems

• Poor compliance with helmet and seatbelt usage

The consistently high fatality ratios on highways and expressways also raise concerns about emergency medical access and road engineering standards. As India continues expanding its highway network and vehicle ownership rises rapidly, improving road safety will require stronger enforcement, safer infrastructure, better driver training, and faster emergency response systems.

Key Numbers (2024):

• Total Road Accidents: 4.68 lakh

• Total Injuries: 4.48 lakh

• Total Deaths: 1.75 lakh

• Daily Average: 1,282 accidents per day; 1,228 injuries per day; 480 deaths per day

• Highest Fatality Ratio: Expressways – 59 deaths per 100 accidents

• Most Affected Vehicle Type: Two Wheelers – 2.20 lakh injuries; 84,599 deaths

• Leading Cause of Deaths: Overspeeding – 1.01 lakh deaths

• Human Error-related Deaths: 1.5 lakh+ deaths