Highest frequency of road crash deaths from 9 pm to 2 am, 89% men: Report

At least four persons were killed every day in the national capital in preventable road crashes in 2022 which saw an increase from the previous year, according to the Delhi government.

Fifty per cent of the road crash victims in 2022 were pedestrians while 45 per cent of the victims were two or three-wheeler drivers and passengers, according to a Transport Department report.

The 2022 Delhi Road Crash Fatalities Report was recently released by the Delhi government.

The report states that 1,571 persons were killed in 1,517 fatal crashes in 2022, i.e. at least four persons killed every day in preventable road crashes.

"It is concerning that these numbers represent a 28 per cent increase from the previous year," it noted.

A total of 97 per cent of the deaths occurred among vulnerable road users -- pedestrians, motorcyclists, cyclists and auto rickshaw occupants - both motorised and electric- which is higher than the national average of 70.8 per cent, according to the report.

Of all the fatalities, 89 per cent of deaths occurred among men and 11 per cent among women. The largest proportion of deaths occurred among men aged between 30 to 39 years.

The report also analysed the timing of the accidents and concluded that many road crash deaths happen from 9 pm to 2 am on most days of the week.

This is a result of higher speeds at night or early in the morning. This is also the time when a lot of hit-and-run cases occur, it said.

Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays recorded the highest number of deaths, it said.

Heavy vehicles and light motor vehicles (LMVs) were responsible for 81 per cent of all reported crashes where the impacting vehicle was known. The percentage of hit-and-run crashes remains the same at 59 per cent in 2021 and 2022.

"This may indicate the need for enhanced enforcement measures in areas witnessing hit-and-run crashes to address this," it noted.

"Of all the documented fatal road crashes, 59 per cent are hit-and-run cases in Delhi. Out of the 59 per cent documented hit-and-run cases, pedestrians were the most affected at a staggering 57 per cent followed by motorcyclists at 33 per cent.

The report said that North District reported the highest number of fatal crashes and hit-and-run incidents at 260 and 150 respectively followed by New Delhi and West districts. The North East district reported the least number of such incidents.

Evidence suggests that more footpaths, shorter pedestrian crossing distances on roads, raised crosswalks, more frequent public transport, and reducing key risk factors such as speeding, riding without a properly clasped helmet, drunk driving, and failure to clasp seatbelts, can greatly contribute to reducing the rate of deadly crashes, it said.