Road accident fatalities soar: Minors, working-age adults at high risk

Last year, the number of minors killed in road accidents surged by 28%, reaching 9,528 fatalities, constituting 6% of the total road-related deaths in 2022, up from 7,764 in 2021. Shockingly, individuals aged between 18 and 45 years continued to bear the brunt of these accidents, accounting for over two-thirds of the grim total of 1.68 lakh fatalities.According to a report from the transport ministry released, the data gathered from all states and Union Territories revealed that the age group of 18-60 years, the most economically active segment, suffered the highest toll, with approximately 1.12 lakh deaths. The report emphasised that the working age group of 18-60 years comprised 83.4% of the overall fatalities resulting from road accidents.Road safety activist and former president of the Geneva-based International Road Federation, K K Kapila, stressed the urgency of raising awareness among minors about the risks on the road. He cited the World Health Organisation's classification of road crashes as the leading cause of death among youths and children. Despite existing safety regulations, there is a pressing need to enhance awareness among young individuals about the perils of road accidents.The government, as stated in the report, highlighted the staggering socio-economic cost of road crashes, amounting to approximately 3% of India's GDP. Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari termed this loss as one of the biggest national losses and urged citizens to contribute towards making roads safer.