Road safety experts have issued an urgent call for action during a media workshop organized by UNICEF, revealing shocking statistics about India's escalating road crisis. The data shows Maharashtra experiencing devastating losses on its roads, with children and young people bearing a disproportionate burden of the tragedy.
Alarming Statistics Paint Grim Picture
The special session on road safety disclosed that India records over 150,000 road deaths every year, positioning the country among the world's most dangerous for traffic accidents. The situation in Maharashtra appears particularly dire, with the state recording 36,084 road crashes and 15,335 fatalities in 2024 alone.
These numbers translate to a heartbreaking average of 99 crashes and 43 deaths per day across the state. Maharashtra currently ranks third nationally in total road fatalities, highlighting the severity of the crisis.
Children Bear Disproportionate Burden
Perhaps most concerning is the vulnerability of young people on Maharashtra's roads. Children and adolescents aged 0-19 years represent approximately 11 percent of all road fatalities in the state according to Ministry of Road Transport and Highways data from 2024.
Dr Syed Hubbe Ali, Health Specialist at UNICEF Delhi, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death among 5-29-year-olds. He further revealed that over 50 percent of victims are pedestrians, cyclists, or motorcyclists.
Urban crash data from 2023 indicates that child pedestrian injuries are highest in Pune, Mumbai, and Nagpur. Compliance with basic safety measures remains worryingly low, with a UNICEF-Education Department Survey showing only 29 percent of pillion-riding children wear helmets and fewer than half of students consistently use zebra crossings.
High-Risk Districts and Preventable Patterns
The data identifies clear geographic patterns in road fatalities, with ten districts accounting for over 50% of state fatalities. These include Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Ahmednagar, Solapur, Thane, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Jalgaon, Satara, and Beed.
Analysis from the Transport Commissionerate, Highway Traffic Police, and MoRTH points to predictable and preventable risk patterns. National Highway corridors account for 37% of fatalities, while overspeeding contributes to over 65% of fatal crashes. Evening-hour crashes and specific high-fatality corridors emerge as consistent trouble spots.
Dr Ali stressed that Maharashtra's persistent position among India's top three states for road-traffic fatalities underscores both the magnitude of the challenge and the urgency for sustained, systemic action.
Pathway to Solutions
Experts at the workshop proposed concrete measures to address the crisis. They recommended that Maharashtra prioritize evidence-based enforcement and engineering solutions, focusing particularly on the top 20 high-fatality corridors and high-risk urban zones.
The integration of child- and youth-centered safety education through the School Health and Wellness Programme was highlighted as a critical intervention. Nilesh Gangaware, technical consultant for road safety at UNICEF, discussed plans to urge the state to consider road safety as a major health concern in school programs.
Experts believe that achieving a 50% reduction in road fatalities by 2030 represents both an attainable and necessary goal for the state. This would require targeted, multi-sectoral intervention addressing the identified risk patterns.
The day-long state-level Capacity Building Workshop also covered emerging adolescent health priorities including health, cervical cancer, and nutrition. Dr Mrudula Phadke, Senior Advisor to the Maharashtra government and UNICEF, made a strong case for investment in 'undernourished' and often 'overlooked' adolescent girls, emphasizing that adolescence represents a critical window of opportunity to build foundations for lifelong health.
