India sees first drop in national highway fatalities since the pandemic
Official figures released in the Lok Sabha show a 4.1% reduction in deaths on national highways in 2025, while total road fatalities across the country continued to rise.
Data presented to the Lok Sabha indicate that deaths on India's national highways fell by 4.1% in 2025, marking the first year of decline since the Covid outbreak. The toll dropped to 62,122 from 64,772 the year before, even as overall road-related deaths in the nation rose. Twenty states and union territories saw fewer fatalities on these routes, with Uttar Pradesh seeing the sharpest fall, cutting deaths from 9,560 to 7,573.
Madhya Pradesh and Punjab also reported notable reductions. On the other hand, Tamil Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat registered higher highway death counts. Lakshadweep, which has no national highways, logged zero highway deaths for the first time since 2022.
Why it matters
The decline suggests progress in highway safety, but rising overall road deaths highlight ongoing traffic risks.
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