Road accidents cross 5.13 lakh in 2025, deaths hit 1.83 lakh; Gadkari targets 50% reduction by 2030

India recorded more than 5.13 lakh road accidents in calendar 2025, resulting in 1,83,382 deaths, even as the government steps up efforts to halve road crashes and fatalities by 2030, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Monday.

Speaking at an event organised by ICICI Lombard, Gadkari said the government is working towards an eventual goal of reducing road fatalities to zero. As part of the immediate intervention strategy, authorities have identified 100 districts with high accident rates and are focusing on accident-prone black spots for corrective measures.

According to government data cited by the minister, road accidents increased 5.3% in 2025 to 5,13,563. The figures imply an average of nearly 59 accidents every hour, while around 21 people lost their lives every hour in road crashes during the year.

Two-wheelers account for 46.2% of road crash deaths

Gadkari highlighted the disproportionate contribution of two-wheelers to road fatalities. Two-wheeler riders accounted for 46.2% of total road crash deaths in 2025, followed by pedestrians at 20.6%. Cars, taxis, vans and other light motor vehicles accounted for another 12.4%.

The minister stressed that greater compliance with helmet rules among two-wheeler users could significantly reduce fatalities and serious injuries.

The scale of the challenge remains evident from the latest available data. Police departments of states and Union Territories reported 2,85,770 road accidents during the first six months of 2026, Gadkari said.

Road safety challenge has economic cost

Gadkari estimated that road crashes result in economic losses equivalent to around 3% of India's GDP, making road safety a major policy and economic challenge. He said the government's strategy would focus on three broad areas — road engineering, vehicle safety and stronger enforcement of traffic rules.

However, he identified public behaviour and enforcement of traffic regulations as among the biggest hurdles in improving road safety.

Auto industry expands to ₹22 lakh crore

Gadkari also highlighted the expansion of India's automobile industry, saying its size has increased from ₹14 lakh crore when he took charge as transport minister to ₹22 lakh crore currently.

For comparison, he pegged the US automobile industry at ₹78 lakh crore and China's at ₹47 lakh crore. The Indian auto sector has generated around 4.5 crore jobs, he said, while also contributing substantially to GST revenues of both state governments and the Centre.

At the same event, ICICI Lombard's Sandeep Goradia said the insurer was distributing 25,000 helmets as part of its 25-year celebrations and attempting a Guinness World Records title, underscoring its road-safety campaign.