The total number of road accidents and fatal road accidents on National Highways including Expressways in the country for three calendar years 2012, 2013 and 2014 are given below:
| Total Number of Road Accidents on National Highways (including Expressways) | Total Number of Fatal Road Accidents on National Highways (including Expressways) | |
| 2012 | 1,42,694 | 42,418 |
| 2013 | 1,36,786 | 39,829 |
| 2014 | 1,37,903 | 42,049 |
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has taken a number of steps to prevent such road accidents as per details mentioned under:
- The Government has approved a National Road Safety Policy. This Policy outlines various policy measures such as promoting awareness, establishing road safety information data base, encouraging safer road infrastructure including application of intelligent transport, enforcement of safety laws etc.
- The Government has constituted the National Road Safety Council as the apex body to take policy decisions in matters of road safety.
- The Ministry has requested all States/UTs for setting up of State Road Safety Council and District Road Safety Committees, and to hold their meetings regularly.
- The Ministry has formulated a multi-pronged strategy to address the issue of road safety based on 4 ‘E’s viz. Education, Engineering (both of roads and vehicles), Enforcement and Emergency Care.
- Road safety has been made an integral part of road design at planning stage.
- Road Safety Audit of selected stretches of National Highways has been taken up.
- High priority has been accorded to identification and rectification of black spots (accident prone spots) on national highways. Around 700 such black spots have been identified for improvement.
- The threshold for four laning of national highway has been reduced from 15,000 Passenger Car Units (PCUs) to 10,000 PCUs. About 52,000 Km of stretches of State Highways has been identified for conversion to national highways.
- Setting up of model driving training institutes in States and refresher training to drivers of Heavy Motor Vehicle in the unorganized sector.
- Advocacy/Publicity campaign on road safety through the electronic and print media.
- Tightening of safety standards for vehicles like Seat Belts, Power-steering, anti-lock braking system etc.
- Providing cranes and ambulances to various State Governments under the National Highway Accident Relief Service Scheme for development on National Highways. National Highways Authority of India also provides ambulances at a distance of 50 Km. on each of its completed stretches of National Highways under its Operation & Maintenance contracts.
- Launch of pilot projects for providing cashless treatment of road accident victims on Gurgaon – Jaipur, Vadodara – Mumbai stretch of National Highways No. 8 and Ranchi – Rargaon – Mahulia stretch of National Highway No. 33.
The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 provides for compensation to Motor Accident Claim Tribunal (MACT) or Civil Court, as the case may be, on the principle of fault/negligence of the driver of the vehicle causing the accident. In such cases, MACT or the Courts award compensation on the merits of each case. Setting up of these courts comes within the purview of the respective State Governments.
The Committee on Road Safety, constituted by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India has suggested various measures for improving road safety to the States / Union Territories. The States / UTs submit the reports of the action taken to Committee on Road Safety.
The above information was given by Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways and Shipping, Shri Pon Radhakrishnan in reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.