Road accidents in Maharashtra be declared public health crisis, say experts

Mumbai, Nov 19 (PTI) Against the backdrop of the rising road accident fatalities in Maharashtra and vulnerability of children, experts have called for declaring road crashes a public health crisis and bringing stakeholders together to brainstorm preventive measures and awareness.

Maharashtra recorded 36,084 road accidents and 15,335 fatalities in 2024, averaging 99 crashes and 43 deaths per day, according to official data cited by organisers of a workshop.

Maharashtra ranks third nationally in total fatalities, with National Highway (NH) corridors accounting for 37 per cent and overspeeding contributing to over 65 per cent of fatal crashes. Child and adolescent fatalities constitute 11 per cent of all deaths.

"Children sustain different and often more severe injury patterns than adults in accidents because their head is proportionally heavier compared to their body. Therefore, there is a need to raise awareness among doctors so they can better anticipate child-specific injuries when young patients are brought in after a crash," Dr Mangesh Gadhari, Health Specialist at UNICEF, said during a media workshop held in Pune.

The workshop was organised by UNICEF.

With the number of accidents rising, people and paramedics need to be trained so that the chances of the victims’ survival can increase.

"For this reason, road accidents need to be declared as a public health crisis. As prevention is the key, all stakeholders need to be brought together, including Transport Commissioners, police, departments of road traffic, education, municipal councils, infrastructure companies and contractors who build and design roads to spread awareness.

"Together they can come across ideas on how to prevent road fatalities and bring in behavioural change," Dr Gadhari added.

Dr Syed Hubbe Ali, Health Specialist at UNICEF Delhi, said, "Road crashes are unavoidable; however, by fostering stronger relationships with policymakers and effectively utilising civic data, we can build awareness on road safety." He said that, in road accidents, children are more likely to fall on their heads, unlike adults, who instinctively use their hands to break the fall.

"This makes children far more vulnerable, with 50-52 per cent dying at the accident site, another 22 per cent during transit, and 22 per cent in the hospital. For adults, the pattern is almost the reverse, as they typically sustain limb injuries rather than severe head trauma. So, the golden period of our time is very limited. Therefore, in many places, there is an initiative for bystander training," he added.

"Knowing how to respond in those first moments can save lives," Dr Ali added. PTI SM NSK