New Delhi: It seems even the nationwide lockdown, which was implemented from March 25 to control the spread of coronavirus, didn't help in putting a check on increasing road accidents as the country witnessed a total 1,60,797 road accidents (up to June 2020) in 2020, which used to be above 4 lakh in normal days at the end of the year. The nationwide lockdown was imposed from March 25
According to Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, there were total 4,64,910 road accidents in 2017 that increased to 4,67,044 in 2018 and later reduced to 4,49,002 in 2019.
In a written reply to a question asked by Shiv Sena MP Rahul Ramesh Shewale, who represents Mumbai South-Central parliamentary constituency, the Union Road Transport Minister told Lok Sabha that highest number of 19,724 road mishaps happened in Madhya Pradesh alone in 2020, while Tamil Nadu reported second highest road accidents at 18,923 followed by Uttar Pradesh, which has reported 15,267 incidents of road mishap and Kerala witnessed 14,125 accidents.
However, Gadkari further said that accidents occur due to multiple causes such as over speeding, use of mobile phone, drunken driving/consumption of alcohol/drug, overloaded vehicle, vehicular condition, poor light condition, jumping red light, overtaking, neglect of civic bodies, weather condition, wrong side driving, etc.
Giving the state-wise details of the road accidents in 2020, Gadkari said that Andhra Pradesh, which reported 8,210 accidents in the current year, had reported 25,727 mishaps in 2017, 24,475 in 2018 and 21,992 in 2019.
Assam, which has reported 3,233 accidents in 2020, had reported 7,170 mishaps in 2017, 8,248 in 2018 and 8,350 in 2019, while Bihar that has reported 4,007 accidents in 2020 had witnessed 8,855 accidents in 2017, 9,600 mishaps in 2018 and 10,007 in 2019.
Chhattisgarh had recorded 13,563 accidents in 2017, 13,864 in 2018 and 13,899 in 2019, while in 2020 (till June), the state has reported 5,403 road accidents.
Karnataka, which has registered 11,253 road accidents in 2020, had witnessed 42,542 accidents in 2017, 41,707 in 2018 and 40,658 in 2019.
Madhya Pradesh had recorded 53,399 accidents in 2017, 51,397 in 2018 and 50,669 in 2019, while Tamil Nadu had reported 65,562 road accidents in 2017, 63,920 in 2018 and 57,228 in 2019. Uttar Pradesh had recorded 38,783 mishaps in 2017, 42,564 in 2018 and 42,572 in 2019. Kerala had witnessed 34,470 mishaps in 2017, 40,181 in 2018 and 41,111 in 2019.