Shocking: 1.5 lakh people die every year in road accidents

New Delhi, Aug 6: Nearly 1.5 lakh people are killed in the country per year with more than five lakh accidents being witnessed on an average each year, government told the Lok Sabha today, highlighting the seriousness of the problem.

About 78 per cent of the accidents occur due to the "fault of drivers" and there is a need to ensure proper training for drivers, Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways Pon Radhakrishnan said.

Replying to questions, he said more than five lakh road accidents take place every year and around 1.5 lakh people are killed on an average.

Over four lakh are injured, he said. The details came at a time when there are rising concerns about road safety amid many loss of lives in accidents.

To a query on whether there are plans to institutionalise training facilities for drivers as there is a huge requirement of such people in the country, Radhakrishnan said licenses are given by state governments and Centre does not have any role.

The response elicited angry reactions from some members, with BJD's Tathagata Satpathy saying that many people are dying on the roads every day but the government is casual about it.

Intervening, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu said the Centre and states must work together and evolve methods. The Ministry has a scheme for setting up Institutes of Driving Training and Research (IDTR).

Pune-based Central Institute for Road Transport (CIRT) monitors the progress of IDTR that are sanctioned by the Ministry. "The progress is also reviewed in the Ministry in meetings held under the chairmanship of senior officers from time to time. No state has been found misusing the funds," the government said.

PTI