Numberspeak | Ex-Intel India Head’s Death Highlights Risks for Cyclists, Figures Show Accidents Killed 10 Daily in India in 2022

As per the 2022 National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, 3,435 cyclists were killed across the country in road accidents while another 6,426 people were injured.

This week, former Intel India head Avatar Saini was killed in a road accident after he was hit by a cab while cycling in Navi Mumbai. In September 2023, a doctor died in Chandigarh after he and his friend were hit by a speeding auto rickshaw while they were cycling. In November 2022, a 50-year-old avid cyclist died after a car rammed into his cycle in Delhi’s Mahipalpur flyover.

In June 2022, a 16-year-old girl died and her friend was injured after a speeding pickup van hit their cycle while they were on their way to school in Delhi’s Kanjhawala. In February 2022, a 12-year-old boy was killed in Mumbai after a speeding truck hit his cycle. In November 2017, veteran professional cyclist Ashok Khale was killed after being hit by a car in Mumbai.

The analysis of the NCRB data shows that no particular state has constantly been on the top but there has been shifting of the title. In 2022, Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of cyclist death in a road accident. In 2021, it was Bihar. Between 2018 and 2020, Tamil Nadu reported most such death and in 2015 and 2016, Marahrashtra was leading in cyclist deaths.

Drastic Jump in Numbers Post 2020

The numbers show that in 2015, three cyclists were killed per day on average in India in accidents that increased to nearly six in 2019 and 2020. However in 2021, it jumped to eight deaths per day on average.

As many as 1,248 cyclists died in road accidents in 2015. Except 2018, there has been a consistent increase in such deaths over the years. In 2019, 2,000 such deaths were reported and the next year, the casualties increased by 50 additional deaths.

In 2021, the death of cyclists in road accidents crossed 3,000 and the next year, the latest available data, it reached 3,435.

A study published last year shows that cyclists have about twice greater fatality risk per kilometre than motorcycle occupants and about 40 times greater risk than car occupants.

The study titled “Population-level estimate of bicycle use and fatality risk in a data-poor setting” by Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi, claimed that safe cycling infrastructure can reduce the numbers drastically.