3 min readNew DelhiSep 12, 2024 09:38 AM IST
First published on: Sep 12, 2024 at 03:44 AM IST
A majority of road crash deaths in Delhi occurred between 9 pm and 2 am and over the weekends in 2022, according to a report released by the Delhi transport department.
According to the Delhi Road Crash Fatalities Report 2022, at least 315 fatal crashes were witnessed during the weekends between 9 pm and 2 am. “This is a result of higher speeds at night or early in the morning. This is also the time when a lot of hit-and-run cases occur. Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays recorded the highest deaths. Heavy vehicles and light motor vehicles (LMVs) were responsible for 81% of all reported crashes where the impacting vehicle was known,” says the report.
The report also shows that July, August, October and December witnessed the highest number of road crash deaths in 2022.
The Road Safety Lead Agency (RSLA) of the Delhi Transport Department reported 5,652 crashes in 2022. Of this, 1,517 or 26% were fatal crashes (accidents that ended up killing people) and 1,571 or 27% were fatalities (number of people that died in such crashes). “It is pertinent to note that fatal crashes and road crash deaths have surpassed figures of pre-Covid-19 statistics. For instance, in 2019, 1,433 fatal crashes and 1,463 road crash deaths were reported,” said officials.
Data also reveals that in 2022, motorcyclists and pedestrians accounted for 95% of all accidents. A total of 97% of the deaths occurred among vulnerable road users (pedestrians, motorcyclists, cyclists and auto-rickshaw occupants-both motorised and electric), which is higher than the national average of 70.8%, states the data.
Of all the documented fatal accidents, data shows that 59% of them are hit-and-run cases. Pedestrians are most affected at 57% followed by motorcycle riders at 33%.
“The percentage of hit-and-run crashes remains the same at 59% in 2021 and 2022. This may indicate the need for enhanced enforcement measures in areas witnessing hit-and-run crashes to address this,” said a transport official.
In 55% of the cases, vehicles are unknown in case of pedestrian fatalities; 35% of them are due to three-wheelers and four-wheelers, reveals the data.
Further, of the 11 police districts, a large number of fatal crashes and hit-and-run cases have been reported in North Delhi — 260 and 150 respectively — followed by New Delhi at 187 and 104 and West at 158 and 97.
The transport department also identified a total of 8 stretches as high-risk corridors with two or more deaths per km. Further, Mukarba Chowk, Kashmere Gate Metro Station, Intersection at GT-Libaspur Road, Punjabi Bagh Intersection and Ring Road Hanuman Setu have been marked as high-risk locations in the last three years.
“This data calls for the need for more walkable streets, safer pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, reduced speed limits and an increase in the rate of challan repayment, enforcement of clasped motorcycle helmets and seatbelts with enhanced enforcement. This report is intended to inform and provide guidance to all city stakeholders,” suggested the department.
“This data calls for... more walkable streets, safer pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, reduced speed limits, increase in rate of challan repayment, enforcement of clasped motorcycle helmets and seatbelts with enhanced enforcement,” suggested the department. 
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