TN tops 2024’s road accident chart, ranks second in fatalities

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu led the country in the number of road accidents in 2024 and ranked second in accident-related fatalities, underlining the persistent road safety challenge in the State despite enforcement and policy measures.

According to data placed before the Rajya Sabha by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Tamil Nadu recorded 67,526 road accidents in 2024, the highest among all states and union territories. The figure was marginally higher than the 67,213 accidents reported in 2023, continuing an upward trend seen since 2020. In terms of fatalities, the state reported 18,449 deaths in 2024, second only to Uttar Pradesh, which recorded 24,118 deaths during the year.

At the national level, road accidents rose to 4.88 lakh in 2024 from 4.81 lakh in 2023, while fatalities increased to 1.77 lakh from 1.73 lakh. Tamil Nadu alone accounted for nearly 14 per cent of the total road accidents reported in the country in 2024.

The data show that overspeeding continued to be the dominant cause of road accidents and deaths across the country, with Tamil Nadu leading on this count. Of the total accidents in the State during 2024, 47,240 accidents, or about 70 per cent, were attributed to overspeeding. These crashes resulted in 12,240 deaths, accounting for around 66 per cent of the total fatalities in the State. While the number of overspeeding accidents declined, compared with 2022, fatalities linked to this factor remained high.

Non-compliance with safety norms also contributed significantly to fatalities. In 2024, Tamil Nadu recorded 7,744 deaths due to non-wearing of helmets and 469 deaths linked to non-wearing of seat belts. Though seat belt-related fatalities have shown a gradual decline over the past few years, helmet-related deaths have remained high, reflecting persistent gaps in two-wheeler safety compliance.

Accidents involving drivers without valid driving licences showed a downward trend in the state. Tamil Nadu reported 4,017 such accidents in 2024, down from 4,733 in 2023 and 6,174 in 2020, indicating some improvement in enforcement and licensing compliance.

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has stated that traffic management and enforcement fall within the domain of state governments and union territory administrations.

While the central government frames rules under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, enforcement rests with the states. The government has cited measures such as the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act, enhanced penalties for violations, road safety audits and the rollout of the Electronic Detailed Accident Report system to support data-driven interventions aimed at improving road safety.