New Delhi: Fatalities from road accidents in the city increased by 4.2 per cent last year compared to 2024.
According to data, 1,617 deaths were reported in 1,578 fatal accidents in Delhi last year, whereas in 2024, 1,551 people lost their lives in 1,504 fatal accidents.
In addition to fatalities, there was also a rise in the number of injuries reported during accidents. Last year, 5,314 people sustained injuries, up from 5,224 in 2024, marking a 2 per cent increase.
However, the data also showed a decline in non-injury accidents, which dropped from 84 cases in 2024 to 61 last year. Simple accidents remained largely stable, with 4,050 cases reported last year compared to 4,069 in 2024.
Police said there were several contributing factors behind the occurrence of road accidents. Among the primary reasons cited were excessive speeding, driving on the wrong side of the road and driving under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicating substances. In addition to these, there were other factors such as distracted driving, poor adherence to traffic rules and occasional lapses in road safety awareness.
Triple riding saw a 63 per cent increase, with 45,072 cases last year compared to 27,734 in 2024. Penalties linked to dangerous road behaviours also went up. Drunk driving rose by nearly 9 per cent, recording 22,091 challans compared to 20,361 in 2024. Driving dangerously increased by 17 per cent, from 21,340 to 24,952.
Additional commissioner of police (Traffic) Dinesh Gupta said that in an effort to reduce the number of accidents on the roads, police department undertook a series of comprehensive measures. These measures included strict enforcement of traffic rules and regulations, the installation of visible and strategically placed road signage and close coordination with agencies to implement additional safety initiatives, such as improving street lighting, enhancing traffic engineering designs and making other infrastructural adjustments aimed at ensuring the safety of all road users.>
