How many accidental deaths did India see in 2020? NCRB releases data

The National Crime Records Bureau showed that the number of accidental deaths in 2020 was lower than in 2019.

New Delhi: India recorded 3,74,397 accidental deaths in 2020 with road crashes constituting over 35 per cent of such fatalities, according to government data. The number of accidental deaths in 2020 was, however, lower than 2019 when the figure stood at 4,21,104, the annual report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) showed.

The rate of 'accidental deaths' per lakh population stood at 27.7 in 2020, down from 31.4 the previous year.

India recorded 3,54,796 cases of road accidents during 2020 in which 1,33,201 people died and 3,35,201 were injured, the NCRB, which functions under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, stated.

More than 60 per cent of the road accidents were caused due to overspeeding, accounting for 75,333 deaths and 2,09,736 persons injured, the report stated.

According to the NCRB, 43.6 per cent of victims of road accidents were riders of two-wheelers, followed by cars, trucks or lorries and buses accounting for 13.2 per cent, 12.8 per cent and 3.1 per cent of deaths due to road accidents, respectively.

Dangerous or careless driving or overtaking contributed to 24.3 per cent of road accidents which led to 35,219 deaths and 77,067 people being injured, it added.

Only 2.4 per cent of the road accidents were due to poor weather conditions, the NCRB stated in the report.

The data showed 59.6 per cent, accounting for 2,11,351 cases, reported in rural areas and 40.4 per cent, 1,43,445 road accidents, in urban areas. 

Also, 31.8 per cent of total road accidents were reported near residential areas, it added.

A total of 13,018 cases of railway accidents were reported during 2020 which rendered 1,127 people injured and resulted in 11,968 deaths, the NCRB report stated.

A majority (70 per cent) of railways accidents were reported under 'fall from trains or collision with people on track' (9,117 out of 13,018).

The report showed 1,014 cases of 'railway crossing accidents' which caused 1,185 deaths and 71 people were injured.

Uttar Pradesh reported the maximum cases of railway crossing accidents (380 out of 1,014 cases) accounting for 37.5 per cent of total such accidents, it stated.

Among other 'accidental deaths', 7,405 fatalities in the country were reported due to causes attributable to 'forces of nature'. Another 3,66,992 people faced accidental deaths due to 'other causes'.

The 'other causes' include deliberate or negligent conduct on the part of human beings and a total of 5,88,738 such cases were reported in 2020 in which 3,38,903 people were also left injured, the NCRB report stated.