In 2022, overspeeding was the primary factor contributing to road fatalities in India, accounting for 7 out of 10 deaths, resulting in a record 1,68,491 road fatalities and approximately 4.4 lakh injuries, including nearly 2 lakh severe injuries. “Traffic rule violations” ranked wrong-side driving as the second most common cause of accidents, with almost 67,000 people losing their lives due to non-compliance with safety measures like helmets and seat belts.The annual data from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways revealed that more than 50,000 two-wheeler riders lost their lives because they were not wearing helmets, and double that number suffered injuries. Similarly, 16,715 deaths were linked to not wearing seat belts, causing 42,300 injuries. Helmets have been widely regarded by health and road safety experts as the “vaccine for head injuries.” India holds the unfortunate distinction of having the highest number of road fatalities globally, accounting for approximately 11% of such deaths, despite having less than 2% of the world’s vehicular population, excluding non-motorized vehicles.An analysis of road crashes and deaths over the past five years revealed that speeding’s contribution to road fatalities increased from 64% in 2018 to 71% in 2022, underscoring the urgent need for stringent enforcement, particularly as the government focuses on improving road infrastructure quality. This trend was particularly evident on national highways, where nearly 78% of the fatalities (35,488) were attributed to speeding, despite these highways comprising only 5% of the country’s road network.The “Road Accident in India” report also highlighted a rise in traffic rule violations, including cases of drunk driving, running red lights, and using mobile phones while driving. Fatalities resulting from running red lights more than doubled from 679 in 2021 to 1,462 in 2022.Despite claims by both central and state governments of improving road conditions and compliance with construction site norms, the report indicated a 25% increase in deaths related to potholes, from 1,481 fatalities in 2021 to 1,856 in 2022. Fatalities during road construction and ongoing construction sites also saw an increase.The data showed an increase in fatalities across all types of collisions, with the most significant spike occurring in accidents involving stationary or parked vehicles. In 2022, 6,012 people lost their lives in such accidents, compared to 4,925 the previous year. Similarly, hit-and-run fatalities rose to 30,486 from 25,938 in 2021, and deaths resulting from rear-end collisions or tailgating increased to 32,097 in 2022 from 28,712 in the previous year.Notably, experts suggested that some of these road fatalities may have been incorrectly classified, as the police investigation officers responsible for writing reports often lack the training and understanding of driving regulations and traffic control device practices. Road safety expert Rohit Baluja pointed out this deficiency in the classification process.