National Highway Safety Sees Major Improvement with 11% Drop in Accidents and Fatalities in 2025
In a significant development for road safety in India, the total number of accidents and fatalities on National Highways (NHs) has decreased by over 11% in 2025, according to data presented by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in the Lok Sabha. This marks the first decline in three years, highlighting the positive impact of ongoing safety initiatives.
Key Statistics Reveal a Promising Trend
The provisional data, sourced from state and union territory reports via the Electronic Detailed Accident Report (eDAR) portal, shows that in 2025, there were 1,34,307 accidents and 57,482 fatalities on NHs. This represents a substantial reduction from 1,50,958 accidents and 64,772 fatalities recorded in 2024. For context, in 2023, the figures stood at 1,50,177 accidents and 63,112 fatalities, indicating a persistent challenge that is now showing signs of improvement.
Despite NHs constituting only 2.3% of India's total road network, they have historically accounted for over 36% of road accident deaths, underscoring the critical need for targeted interventions. India, with the second-largest road network globally at approximately 63.45 lakh kilometers, including 1.46 lakh km of NHs, has long topped global charts in annual road accident fatalities, surpassing countries like China and the United States.
Leading States Drive the Reduction in Fatalities
An analysis of the data identifies five states as key contributors to the decline in fatalities: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana. Collectively, these states saw a reduction of 6,072 fatalities in 2025 compared to 2024, contributing to an overall drop of 7,290 deaths nationwide.
- Uttar Pradesh led the way with the most significant decrease, recording 6,973 fatalities in 2025 down from 9,560 in 2024—a reduction of 2,587 deaths.
- Madhya Pradesh followed closely, with fatalities falling from 4,644 in 2024 to 2,882 in 2025, a decrease of 1,762 deaths.
This progress is attributed to the Ministry's multi-pronged strategy, which focuses on four pillars: education, engineering (encompassing both road and vehicle improvements), enforcement, and emergency care. These efforts aim to curb accidents and enhance safety across the extensive highway network.
Challenges Persist in Some Regions
While overall numbers show improvement, certain states experienced increases in both accidents and fatalities on NHs in 2025 compared to the previous year, highlighting regional disparities in road safety outcomes.
- Gujarat saw accidents rise from 3,519 to 3,944 and fatalities from 2,192 to 2,380.
- Jharkhand, continuing an upward trend over the past three years, reported an increase from 2,039 accidents and 1,686 fatalities in 2024 to 2,056 accidents and 1,783 fatalities in 2025.
- Uttarakhand recorded a climb from 828 accidents and 543 fatalities in 2024 to 875 accidents and 605 fatalities in 2025.
- Delhi witnessed a significant spike, with accidents jumping from 593 to 1,827 and fatalities rising slightly from 258 to 260.
These variations underscore the need for continued and tailored safety measures to address local challenges and ensure uniform progress across all states.
The data underscores a pivotal shift in India's road safety landscape, with targeted initiatives beginning to yield measurable results. However, sustained efforts and focused strategies will be crucial to build on this momentum and further reduce the toll of road accidents on National Highways.
