37% decline in fatalities due to road accidents in Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 02: The fatalities due to road accidents in the national capital Delhi have declined by 37 per cent in the last ten years. However, hit-and-run cases in the city have increased to 59 per cent last year as compared to 51 per cent in 2020. This was revealed in a report released by the Delhi Transport Department on road crash fatalities.

Out of the total fatal accidents in 2021, 708 were fatal hit-and-run cases with 719 deaths. The maximum number of deaths were of Pedestrians in hit-and-run crashes in 2021 contributing 53 per cent. The report also said that the Ring Road Bypass in the national capital is the most high-risk corridor with six deaths per kilometer.

Motorcyclists (both riders and pillion riders) accounted for 43 percent and pedestrians for 42 percent of all the deaths. A total of 93 percent of the deaths occurred among vulnerable road users (pedestrians, motorcyclists, cyclists and auto rickshaw occupants- both motorized and electric).

Death risk is relatively higher for men aged between 50 to 54 years. Among women, road traffic death risk was highest over age 45

The largest proportion of road deaths occurred among adults aged between 20 to 39 years old. Among females, there was no pronounced age pattern among road crash deaths.

The number of fatal crashes as well as deaths was highest in March. There was a sudden decline in crashes in April and May at the time of the partial lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Heavy vehicles were responsible for 44 percent of the crashes where the causal vehicle was known, followed by light motor vehicles and motorcyclists. Note that the colliding vehicle was not known in the 40 percent of fatal crashes.