New Delhi: A state-level study has revealed that speeding was responsible for 41 percent of road crash fatalities in Uttar Pradesh, which recorded the highest number of road crash deaths in India in 2022.
According to the report, titled ‘Vehicular Speeding in Uttar Pradesh: Statewide Assessment and Recommendations’, Uttar Pradesh recorded 22,595 road crash deaths in 2022—over 13 percent of the country’s total 1,68,491 deaths. Speeding accounted for 9,297 of these fatalities.
The report by SaveLIFE Foundation in partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur also revealed troubling speeding patterns across major roads in Uttar Pradesh, particularly among two-wheelers.
It found that 75.8 percent of two-wheelers breached speed limits on national highways and 63.9 percent did so near schools on state highways. In school zones, over 80 percent of two-wheelers, light motor vehicles and buses exceeded the 25 km/h limit, raising grave safety concerns.
On the Yamuna Expressway, India’s longest six-lane expressway, nearly three out of four two-wheelers were found speeding.
The findings—officially released by Uttar Pradesh Transport Commissioner Brajesh Narain Singh alongside experts from SaveLIFE Foundation and IIT Kanpur on Thursday—highlight a significant gap in speed-curbing measures and provide actionable recommendations to tackle the issue.
Despite district-wise speed limits, electronic monitoring and enforcement guidelines reportedly in place, speeding remains the primary cause of fatalities.
The study focused on Kanpur Nagar, Agra, Gorakhpur and Bareilly, districts with the highest crash fatality rates. In 2021, Kanpur Nagar, Agra and Prayagraj recorded the most fatalities statewide, with Bareilly and Gorakhpur topping numbers in the northern and eastern regions.
Regional authorities and law enforcement under the UP Motor Vehicle Rules, 1998, have powers to designate main roads and issue speed limits. However, current measures fall short, contributing to Uttar Pradesh’s position as India’s deadliest state for road accidents.
“Over two-thirds of two-wheelers were found speeding across various road types. This calls for a collaborative effort between state authorities and citizens to implement speed management strategies effectively,” Piyush Tewari, founder and CEO of SaveLIFE Foundation said in the report.
Severe speed limits on expressways
The report revealed distinct speeding trends across key expressways in Uttar Pradesh. On the Agra-Lucknow Expressway, 51 percent of light motor vehicles (LMVs) were found exceeding speed limits.
The situation was worse on the Yamuna Expressway, where 73 percent of two-wheelers and 86 percent of buses were speeding. Meanwhile, 60 percent of LMVs breached speed regulations on the Allahabad Bypass Expressway.
“The current Act does not penalise speeding by two-wheelers under Section 183. Penalties exist only for LMVs and higher categories. We urge the Government of India to amend Section 183 to ensure accountability for two-wheeler drivers as well,” said Tewari.
Buses recorded a 74 percent speeding rate during the day and 69 percent at night. For LMVs, the highest recorded speed was 146 km/h—nearly 1.5 times the permitted limit.
“This research highlights the varied overspeeding trends by location and time, underscoring the need for standardised speed management documentation at the state level,” said Aditya Medury, Assistant Professor at IIT Kanpur’s Department of Civil Engineering.
The study revealed alarming levels of speeding across districts in Uttar Pradesh.
In Kanpur Nagar, more than two-thirds of two-wheelers and buses were speeding.
In Agra, over 90 percent of two-wheelers and 75 percent of buses and LMVs broke speed limits on the National Highway.
Gorakhpur saw over 75 percent of two-wheelers speeding on highways, with 97 percent of LMVs and 67 percent of trucks speeding.
In Bareilly, 85 percent of two-wheelers and over half of LMVs were found speeding on NH-30. Prayagraj’s Allahabad Bypass Expressway 60 percent of LMVs were driving above the speed limit.
The analysis also highlighted system gaps, including inconsistent speed limits on the same stretch and higher speeding rates outside blackspot locations, emphasising the need for broader speed management measures.
Recommendations
Based on the findings, the report also offered several recommendations like setting speed limits based on specific road characteristics rather than uniform categories.
It also suggested infrastructure improvements like rumble strips and barricades for pedestrian zones and speed breakers near intersections, school zones and high-risk areas.
The introduction of electronic enforcement under Section 136A read with Rule 167A of the Motor Vehicles Act was also proposed to monitor and penalise speeding violations more effectively.
Clear and consistent road signage, including warnings for school zones at least five kilometres in advance, was highlighted as essential for promoting driver awareness.
Additionally, the report advocated speed calming measures not only at identified black spots but also in other potentially hazardous areas.
(Edited by Sugita Katyal)