New Delhi, Dec 11, 2025 — Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, remained the worst-hit by road accidents in 2024, with 24,118 deaths, according to data tabled by Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari in Parliament on Wednesday. This accounted for 13.61% of all road crash deaths nationwide, almost unchanged from the 13.67% share recorded between 2020 and 2023.

Other high-burden states included Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Rajasthan, which together accounted for 55% of all road crash deaths in 2024. Among these, UP recorded the lowest growth in annual deaths at 11.37% compared to the 2020–2023 average, while Madhya Pradesh saw the sharpest rise with a 17% increase. Chhattisgarh and West Bengal reported the highest growth in fatalities, rising 26% and 16% respectively.

Key Causes of Road Crash Deaths

• Overspeeding: Remained the leading factor, contributing to 70% of all fatalities (1,23,947 of 1,77,177). UP saw a 42% increase in deaths due to overspeeding compared to the preceding four-year average.
• Helmet non-compliance: Accounted for 31% of deaths nationwide (54,493 fatalities), with UP showing a 24% improvement, reducing deaths to 4,938. MP had the worst rise at 41%.
• Seat belt non-compliance: Responsible for 24% of fatalities (14,595 deaths), showing a modest nationwide improvement of 2.6%. Rajasthan reduced deaths by 25%, while Karnataka saw a 21% increase.

Overall Trend

The government had previously reported that road crash fatalities reached an all-time high of 1,77,177 in 2024, averaging 485 deaths per day, marking a 2.5% increase from 2023.

The data underscores persistent road safety challenges in India, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, where speeding and helmet non-compliance remain major concerns despite slight improvements in some compliance areas.