National capital tops list in road accident deaths: NCRB report

Walking or driving on Delhi roads remains fraught with danger, according to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data. The newly released Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India 2023 report has ranked Delhi as the most unsafe city for road users among 53 major Indian cities.

The report shows that in 2023, nearly four people lost their lives every day on the Capital roads, while at least 13 people were injured daily.

Overall, Delhi recorded 5,715 road accidents, accounting for 8.2 per cent of the 69,910 accidents reported across all major cities during the year.

Bengaluru, with 4,980 accidents, and Chennai, with 3,653 accidents, followed Delhi in second and third positions, respectively.

Delhi also topped the list for fatal accidents, registering the highest number of deaths at 1,457 in 2023. Bengaluru ranked second with 915 deaths, while Jaipur was third with 848 deaths. In comparison, Delhi had reported 5,560 accidents, 1,461 deaths and 4,713 injuries in 2022. In 2021, the city recorded 4,720 accidents, 1,239 deaths and 3,989 injuries. Two-wheelers were the leading cause of fatal accidents in Delhi, responsible for 622 deaths in 2023.

Cars followed with 327 deaths, while three-wheelers, including auto-rickshaws, caused 95 deaths. Trucks were linked to 94 deaths, buses to 34 deaths and bicycles to 78 deaths.

Delhi also led in pedestrian fatalities at crossings, with 159 deaths in 2023. Durg-Bhilai Nagar in Chhattisgarh was second, with 115 pedestrian deaths. The NCRB report covered 53 major cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Indore, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Ahmedabad and Amritsar, among others.