Mumbai has witnessed a sharp increase in road accidents in 2023, according to the “Road Accidents in India 2023” report released by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
The city reported 2,533 traffic incidents last year, marking a 33.7% rise from 1,895 in 2022. These accidents led to 384 deaths and nearly 3,000 injuries. Speeding remained the leading cause of accidents in the city. It led to 2,479 accidents, resulting in 373 deaths and 3,242 injuries.
Cause | Accidents | Fatalities |
Speeding | 2,479 | 373 |
Drunk Driving | 54 | 11 |
Two-wheelers | 160 | 23 |
Pedestrians | 1,104 | 171 |
Bicycles | 166 | 9 |
Among cities with populations over one million, Mumbai ranked 12th for total accidents and 14th for fatalities. Maharashtra, on the other hand, stood sixth in the country for total accidents and third for fatalities. The report found that most crashes occurred on straight roads, with Y-junctions being the most common locations.
Data on highways:
Road Type | Accidents | Fatalities |
National Highways | 11,742 | 5,230 |
State Highways | 8,495 | 3,648 |
Other Roads | 15,006 | 6,488 |
Across Maharashtra, 35,243 accidents were reported in 2023, a 5.5% rise from 33,383 in 2022. The state recorded 15,366 deaths. Vehicles less than ten years old were involved in 57.8% of these accidents. The highest number of crashes, 7,244, occurred between 3 pm and 6 pm.
Non-compliance with seatbelt rules contributed to several fatalities. The report stated that 725 car occupants and 3,920 two-wheeler riders died in such cases across the state.
Maharashtra Ranks 3rd in Fatalities
India reported 480,583 accidents and 172,890 deaths in 2023. Of the total, Maharashtra accounted for 7.3% of the total accidents and 8.9% of all fatalities. With this, the state ranks third in the fatalities across the nation.
Speeding caused 68.4% of road accidents nationwide, amounting to 328,727 cases, and was responsible for 68.07% of total deaths, or 117,682 fatalities.