KOLKATA: In a concerning trend highlighted by the latest Road Accidents in India Report from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH), West Bengal witnessed a staggering 14.65% increase in road crashes and a 3.48% rise in road crash fatalities from 2021 to 2022. With 13,686 crashes, the state ranked 11th in both the number of road accidents and fatalities, recording a tragic toll of 6,002 deaths.
The leading culprit behind the rising fatalities, not just in West Bengal but across the nation, is speeding. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a mere 1 km/hr increase in speed equates to a 3% higher likelihood of crashes causing injuries and a more alarming 4-5% escalation in fatal crashes. Over the past five years (2018-2022), speeding has accounted for nearly 5 lakh (5,17,690) road crash deaths in India.
