3pm-9pm fatal to be on Indian roads, reveals govt data

The time period between 6 pm and 9 pm recorded maximum number of road accidents - accounting for about 21% of the total accidents in the country. The time between 3 pm and 6 pm reported the second highest accidents - about 18%.

New Delhi, Jan 02: The time period between 3pm to 6pm has proven to be quite risky and fatal on Indian roads, reveals a latest report released by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).

According to the annual report 'Road Accidents in India - 2021', nearly 40% of the total road accidents registered in 2021 took place between 3 pm and 9 pm.

Of the total 4.12 lakh accidents registered during 2021, over 1.58 lakh were reported during this period.

The time period between 6 pm and 9 pm recorded maximum number of road accidents - accounting for about 21% of the total accidents in the country. The time between 3 pm and 6 pm reported the second highest accidents - about 18%.

"A total of 4,12,432 road accidents occured in 2021 calendar year which claimed 1,53,972 lives while 3,84,448 people injured," according to the report.

"Road accidents decreased by 8.1 per cent and injuries decreased by 14.8 per cent in 2021 compared to 2019.

"Fatalities, however, on account of road accidents increased by 1.9 per cent in 2021 corresponding to the same period in 2019," it said.

According to the report, in 2020, the country saw an unprecedented decrease in accidents, fatalities and injuries.

This was due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic and resultant stringent nation-wide lockdown particularly during March-April, 2020 followed by gradual unlocking and phasing out of the containment measures, it said.

The report is based on the data/information received from police departments of states/Union Territories collected on calendar year basis in standardized formats as provided by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) under the Asia Pacific Road Accident Data (APRAD) base project.