Maharashtra Sees 95,722 Road Fatalities Since 2019, Crisis Deepens

Between January 2019 and September 30, 2025, Maharashtra reported an alarming total of 95,722 fatalities resulting from 219,039 road accidents, shedding light on a severe and ongoing safety crisis. Official data from the Maharashtra Transport Department indicates that in the first three quarters of 2025, the state experienced 26,922 road accidents that led to 11,532 deaths. These figures are nearly identical to the previous year’s statistics for the same period, which recorded 26,719 accidents and 11,573 fatalities.

A recent tragic incident on the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway in Pune emphasized the urgency of the situation. On a Thursday evening, eight individuals lost their lives, and 14 others sustained injuries when a car became trapped between two large container trucks, igniting a significant fire. This incident underscores the perilous conditions present on the state’s roadways.

In the last six years, Maharashtra has seen a distressing trend in road safety. The data reveals that 1,29,670 people were seriously injured, and 53,036 others sustained minor injuries in the same timeframe. The statistics for the previous year show that 15,715 fatalities occurred during 36,118 crashes, with this year’s numbers indicating a tragic continuation of this trend.

At the national level, India reported 172,890 road fatalities in 2023, with Maharashtra ranking third among the states with 15,366 deaths. This places the state behind Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, according to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

Contributing Factors to Road Safety Crisis

Experts attribute India’s high rate of road fatalities to several factors, including weak enforcement of traffic regulations, reckless driving behaviors, inadequate driver training, and overloaded vehicles. The only notable decline in accident numbers occurred in 2020 due to pandemic-induced restrictions on vehicular movement. Since then, both accidents and fatalities have steadily increased, despite concerted efforts by state authorities to mitigate road deaths.

Recent statistics reveal troubling increases in specific districts. For example, Washim district reported a staggering 37 percent rise in road accidents compared to the same period last year. Other districts that followed include Dharashiv with a 27 percent increase, Solapur city at 26 percent, and Sangli at 25 percent. Furthermore, road deaths surged by 59 percent in Buldhana district from January to September this year, with Sangli and Solapur city also experiencing significant increases.

Among the major urban areas, Mumbai, recognized as the financial capital of India, recorded the highest number of accidents, totaling 1,878 between January and September. Conversely, Nashik Rural topped the fatality list with 656 deaths.

The escalating numbers of road accidents and fatalities in Maharashtra signal a pressing need for comprehensive reforms in traffic management and safety measures to protect lives and ensure safer roads. As the state grapples with this critical situation, the call for effective solutions has never been more urgent.