India's Road Deaths Exceed War and Disease, Says Minister

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari warned that India's roads claim more lives than any war or disease, with nearly 5 lakh accidents and 1.8 lakh deaths annually, including 66% young people. He noted 54,132 deaths last year due to lack of helmets and that two-wheeler riders account for 45% of fatalities. The government is spending Rs 40,000 crore to fix accident-prone 'black spots' and targeting 100 high-risk districts, while road accidents cost India nearly 3% of GDP annually.