Rural roads have more accidents and deaths

The analysis of road accidents in terms of causal factors reveals that drivers' fault is single most important factor responsible for accidents

Rural roads had more accidents in 2014 than state and national highways. ‘Other’ roads, including rural ones, accounted for 46.6 per cent of road accidents and 36.8 per cent of fatalities last year, according to a report by the transport research wing of the highway ministry. The national highways accounted for 28.2 per cent of accidents and 34.1 per cent of fatalities and state highways accounted for 25.2 per cent of accidents and 29.1 per cent of fatalities.

The report says the number of accidents increased from 486,476 in 2013 to 489,400 in 2014. Fatalities also rose from 137,572 in 2013 to 1,39,671 in 2014. Injuries declined from 494,893 in 2013 to 493,474 in 2014.

On average, 56 road accidents occur and 16 lives are lost in them every hour in India.

The report says rural areas continue to be more hazardous, accounting for 53.7 per cent of road accidents in 2014. Fatalities (59.4 per cent) and injuries (58.0 per cent) were also higher in rural areas than the 40.6 per cent fatalities and 42.0 per cent injuries in urban areas.

This indicates a significant improvement in infrastructure is needed for reducing accidents in rural areas. Rural areas had 262,985 road accidents in 2014 while urban areas had 226,415. The shares of accidents in rural and urban areas were 53.7 per cent and 46.3 per cent, respectively.

The report indicates marginal improvements in accidents, fatalities and injuries in rural areas from the previous.

Driver’s error is the biggest cause of accidents, followed by fault of drivers of other vehicles, defects in vehicles, faulty road conditions and pedestrian error. Drivers’ error accounted for 78.8 per cent of all road accidents, 73.7 per cent of fatalities and 81.1 per cent of injuries in road accidents during 2014.