Nagpur: The Second Capital of Maharashtra is witnessing an alarming rise in road accidents, making its streets increasingly perilous. In 2024, a staggering 345 lives (292 males and 53 females) were lost in 327 fatal road accidents in Nagpur, marking the highest toll in five years. This translates to an average of over three accidents per day, with almost one fatality per day, according to statistics.
Fatal road accidents have been steadily climbing in Nagpur. Here’s a breakdown:
Gold Rate
Thursday 16 Jan. 2025
• 2019: 233 accidents, 250 deaths
• 2020: 195 accidents, 213 deaths (COVID-19 lockdown year)
• 2021: 255 accidents, 268 deaths
• 2022: 294 accidents, 310 deaths
• 2023: 294 accidents, 308 deaths
• 2024: 327 accidents, 345 deaths
This represents an 11% rise in fatalities compared to 2023 and a 20% increase since 2022.
Two-Wheelers: The most vulnerable
Two-wheelers continue to bear the brunt, with motorcycles and scooters involved in 319 incidents in 2024. Police officials attribute this to the lack of safety features such as seat belts and airbags. By contrast:
• Cars: 509 accidents
• Trucks: 192 accidents
• Buses: 125 accidents
Highways and small roads: Both deadly
While highways in the Nagpur Police Commissionerate area accounted for 107 deaths, smaller roads saw 196 fatalities and a total of 920 accidents. High-speed traffic on highways and crowded conditions on smaller roads contribute to these tragedies.
Peak accident hours: 4 pm to 8 pm
The most dangerous time on Nagpur roads is during the evening rush hour, from 4 PM to 8 PM, when traffic congestion is at its peak. Night driving, particularly from 8 PM to midnight, also sees a rise in accidents, as per police data.
The role of over-speeding and dangerous driving
Over-speeding was responsible for 97 fatalities in 2024, while dangerous driving claimed 109 lives. These behaviours also caused:
• 99 serious injuries
• 122 minor injuries
• 205 additional serious injuries from dangerous driving, such as sudden lane changes and aggressive behaviour.
Drunk driving: A persistent menace
Despite numerous awareness campaigns, driving under the influence remains a significant issue. In 2024, it caused six fatalities and 29 serious injuries.
Nagpur’s rising road accidents and fatalities underscore the urgent need for stricter enforcement of traffic rules, improved infrastructure, and sustained public awareness campaigns. The grim statistics serve as a wake-up call for all stakeholders to make the city’s roads safer for everyone.
