Increase in Road Accidents in India: A 2025 Overview

In 2025, India experienced a significant increase in road accidents, with over 5.13 lakh incidents leading to 1,83,382 fatalities. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari revealed that speeding was a major contributor, while states like Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh reported the highest accident rates and fatalities, respectively. The government is also focusing on the growing adoption of electric vehicles and ongoing highway infrastructure improvements. With over 1 crore registered EVs, the shift towards sustainable transport is evident. However, road safety remains a pressing concern, as indicated by the alarming statistics for 2026. Discover more about the government's initiatives and the current state of road safety in India.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 30, 2026, 22:57 IST

Rising Road Accidents in India

A representational image from an accident site. (Photo: @ians_india/X)

New Delhi, Jul 30: In 2025, India witnessed a 5.3% rise in road accidents, resulting in over 5.13 lakh incidents that claimed 1,83,382 lives, averaging 21 fatalities every hour, as reported to the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari disclosed in a written statement that police departments from various states and Union Territories recorded a total of 5,13,563 road accidents throughout the year.

He highlighted that speeding was a significant factor, contributing to 82,124 accidents, which is approximately 16% of the total incidents reported in 2025.

Tamil Nadu topped the list with the highest number of road accidents at 71,387, while Uttar Pradesh had the most fatalities, totaling 27,550.

Data presented in Parliament indicated that improper lane usage and driving against traffic accounted for 4,089 accidents. Additionally, running red lights resulted in 276 incidents, and distracted driving due to mobile phone use was linked to 136 crashes.

Gadkari also noted that in the first half of 2026, there were already 2,85,770 reported road accidents, underscoring the ongoing challenge of road safety.

In response to another inquiry, the minister mentioned the increasing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), attributed to their lower operational costs and zero emissions compared to traditional internal combustion engine vehicles.

According to VAHAN data, the penetration of EVs rose from 0.71% in 2019-20 to 8.26% in 2025-26. As of July 26, 2026, India had registered over 1 crore electric vehicles across various categories, bringing the total count to 1,00,23,396.

Regarding highway infrastructure, Gadkari stated that the government has successfully monetized road assets valued at Rs 1,72,898 crore through various financing models, including Toll-Operate-Transfer (TOT) and Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT).

He added that 317 highway projects, covering 11,711.81 km with a total investment of Rs 4,57,547.46 crore, were awarded under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) and Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) frameworks between 2021-22 and 2025-26.

The minister emphasized that the upkeep of National Highways (NHs) is a continuous effort. Approximately 11,500 km of highways reported poor conditions over the last three years and are currently undergoing immediate maintenance.

Out of India's 1.46 lakh-km National Highway network, around 36,000 km is under development, 58,000 km is in the defect liability or concession phase, and 41,000 km is maintained through short-term and performance-based contracts.

Additionally, 4,000 km is being maintained by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).

Gadkari revealed plans for maintenance work on 20,000 km of National Highways in 2026-27, aiming to ensure regular upkeep of the entire NH network.

He also informed the House that 21 contractors and concessionaires have been blacklisted or penalized in the past two years due to substandard work and other violations related to tenders.