Delhi Sees Alarming Rise in Road Accident Fatalities and Injuries
New Delhi witnessed a concerning increase in road accident deaths last year. Official data reveals that fatalities climbed by 4.2% compared to the previous year. In 2025, the city recorded 1,617 deaths from 1,578 fatal accidents. This marks a rise from 2024, when 1,551 people lost their lives in 1,504 such incidents.
Injury Numbers Also Show Upward Trend
The troubling statistics extend beyond fatalities. The number of people injured in accidents also grew. Last year, 5,314 individuals sustained injuries, which represents a 2% increase from the 5,224 injuries reported in 2024.
However, not all accident categories followed this pattern. Non-injury accidents actually decreased significantly, dropping from 84 cases in 2024 to just 61 last year. Simple accidents, which cause property damage but no serious harm, remained largely stable. The city reported 4,050 simple accidents last year, nearly identical to the 4,069 cases in 2024.
Police Identify Key Contributing Factors
Traffic police officials pointed to several dangerous behaviors as primary causes for these accidents. Excessive speeding tops the list of concerns. Driving on the wrong side of the road and operating vehicles under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants also contribute heavily to the problem.
Additional factors include:
- Distracted driving, often involving mobile phone use
- Poor adherence to basic traffic rules
- Occasional lapses in road safety awareness among drivers
Dangerous Behaviors Show Sharp Increases
The data reveals dramatic jumps in specific violations. Triple riding on two-wheelers surged by a staggering 63%. Police recorded 45,072 cases last year, compared to 27,734 in 2024.
Penalties for other risky behaviors also rose substantially:
- Drunk driving challans increased by nearly 9%, from 20,361 in 2024 to 22,091 last year.
- Dangerous driving penalties grew by 17%, climbing from 21,340 to 24,952 cases.
Police Implement Comprehensive Safety Measures
Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Dinesh Gupta outlined the department's response to this growing challenge. Police have undertaken a series of comprehensive measures aimed at reducing accidents on Delhi's roads.
These initiatives include:
- Strict enforcement of all traffic rules and regulations
- Installation of visible, strategically placed road signage
- Close coordination with other agencies to implement safety improvements
The coordinated efforts focus on practical interventions like improving street lighting, enhancing traffic engineering designs, and making other infrastructural adjustments. These measures aim to ensure the safety of all road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists.
The traffic police remain committed to addressing this public safety issue through both enforcement and infrastructure improvements. The rising numbers highlight the ongoing challenges Delhi faces in creating safer roads for its millions of daily commuters.
