Delhi sees alarming rise in road crash fatalities: 1,571 lives lost in 2022

A recent report highlighted the alarming rise in road crash fatalities, with 1,571 people killed in 1,517 fatal crashes in 2022

At least four people lost their lives every day in the national capital in preventable road crashes in 2022, marking a disturbing increase from the previous year, according to a report released by the Delhi government.

The 2022 Delhi Road Crash Fatalities Report by the Transport Department reveals that 50 per cent of the road crash victims were pedestrians, while 45 per cent were drivers and passengers of two or three-wheelers.

The report highlights the alarming rise in road crash deaths, with 1,571 people killed in 1,517 fatal crashes in 2022. “It is concerning that these numbers represent a 28 per cent increase from the previous year,” the report mentioned.

 

A staggering 97 per cent of the fatalities involved vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, motorcyclists, cyclists, and auto rickshaw occupants — both motorised and electric. This percentage is significantly higher than the national average of 70.8 per cent, the report noted.

Nighttime crashes drive fatalities

Men were disproportionately affected, accounting for 89 per cent of the deaths, with the largest group being those aged 30 to 39 years. Women represented only 11 per cent of the fatalities.

The report also highlighted the time of day as a key factor in road deaths, with most crashes occurring between 9 pm and 2 am. The combination of higher speeds and low visibility during these hours, along with a spike in hit-and-run cases, contributes to the deadly outcomes, it said. Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays saw the highest number of fatalities, it added.

Heavy vehicles, hit-and-run trends

In terms of the types of vehicles involved, heavy vehicles and light motor vehicles were responsible for 81 per cent of all reported crashes where the type of vehicle was identified. Notably, hit-and-run cases accounted for 59 per cent of the total crashes in both 2021 and 2022. “This may indicate the need for enhanced enforcement measures in areas witnessing hit-and-run crashes to address this,” the report noted.
 

Out of the 59 per cent hit-and-run incidents, pedestrians were the most affected, at a staggering 57 per cent, followed by motorcyclists at 33 per cent.

North district leads in fatal crashes

Geographically, the North District reported the highest number of fatal crashes and hit-and-run incidents, with 260 and 150 cases respectively. The New Delhi and West districts followed closely, while the North East district reported the fewest incidents.

The report further emphasised that implementing measures such as increasing footpaths, shortening pedestrian crossing distances, introducing raised crosswalks, enhancing public transport, and addressing key risk factors such as speeding, drunk driving, and failure to wear helmets and seatbelts, could significantly reduce the number of deadly crashes in the city.