Cause of over 50% of pedestrian deaths in 3 yrs unknown: Delhi traffic police data

As many as 649 pedestrians died in Delhi in 2025, of which 92 and 75 deaths involved private cars and two-wheelers, respectively.

More than half of the pedestrian deaths in the national Capital last year were unaccounted for –- there is no record of what led to the fatalities –-as per data released by the Delhi traffic police.

Unaccounted pedestrian deaths were logged at 309 in 2024, 343 in 2023, and 358 in 2022. (HT)

As many as 649 pedestrians died in Delhi in 2025, of which 92 and 75 deaths involved private cars and two-wheelers, respectively. However, in 330 cases (50.8%), the cause remains unknown. Besides, 43 such deaths involved heavy transport or goods vehicles in 2025 and 25 pedestrians were killed due to tempos (mini-goods carrying vehicles), followed by 16 deaths due to e-rickshaws and 15 due to buses. The remaining 33 deaths involved autos and other vehicles.

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As per the data, pedestrian deaths accounted for 40% of the total 1,617 road crash fatalities in the city across the year. The total number of road accidents were 1,578, as against 1,551 total deaths in 1,504 crashes in 2024, marking a 4.26% rise in deaths in 2025.

The traffic police statistics further show that in 2023, 1,457 people lost their lives in 1,432 road accidents compared to 1,461 deaths in 1,428 crashes in 2022.

Senior traffic police officers said major pedestrian deaths in the Capital take place during the night on high-speed stretches.

“Despite the presence of zebra crossings, foot overbridges, and subways, the majority of people do not use them and cross roads at places where they are not supposed to walk, endangering their lives as well as the safety of other road users. Most of the deaths of pedestrians occur during nights and on high-speed corridors such as the national highways, the Ring Road and the Outer Ring Road. We regularly organise road safety drives to highlight the importance of pedestrian safety and to reinforce the message that roads must be safe for all, especially pedestrians,” said additional commissioner of police (traffic) Dinesh Kumar Gupta.

Road safety experts believe that certain interventions by the government and other stakeholders would help in curbing deaths of pedestrians in road crashes in the city.

“There is enough funds and space in most parts of Delhi. Pedestrians are considered at the bottom of the planning hierarchy. Roads are widened for cars, flyovers are built for speed, but pedestrians and cyclists who actually form the majority on roads, are ignored. A well-designed footpath with greenery and seating ensures safety, encourages walking, and reduces pollution,” said urban mobility expert and co-founder of Raahgiri Foundation Sarika Panda Bhatt.

Traffic safety expert Geetam Tiwari from IIT Delhi’s Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Centre (TRIP Centre) said that reducing vehicle speed in urban zones can cut pedestrian fatalities by half. “You can’t have 60km/h zones near residential areas or schools. If we redesign intersections, reduce corner radii, and give priority to pedestrians at crossings, safety will improve drastically.”