Over 1.8 lakh pedestrians killed in road crashes in India between 2019 and 2024

Key facts

• More than 1.8 lakh pedestrians were killed in road crashes across India between 2019 and 2024, averaging over 30,500 deaths annually.
• The National Highway (NH) network accounted for nearly 31% of all pedestrian fatalities recorded during this five-year period.
• Data from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) reveals that collisions with two-wheelers and cars caused nearly 54% of pedestrian deaths in 2024, claiming 19,680 lives.
• Tamil Nadu recorded the highest number of pedestrian deaths in 2024 with 4,712 fatalities, followed by Bihar (4,149), Maharashtra (3,344), and West Bengal (3,241).
• The Supreme Court (SC) affirmed that the right to use footpaths is guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution, citing standards prescribed by the Indian Roads Congress (IRC).