Srinagar, Jul 30 (KNO): Jammu and Kashmir recorded 5,452 road accidents and 774 deaths in 2021, with fatalities rising to 984 in 2025, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways revealed in the Lok Sabha. Till July 27, 2026, the Union Territory witnessed 3,269 accidents, 603 fatalities, and 4,775 injuries.
As per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the ministry furnished detailed data on road accidents, fatalities, and injuries in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in response to a question raised by Lok Sabha member Shyamkumar Daulat Barve.
According to the ministry's reply, Jammu and Kashmir recorded 5,452 road accidents, 774 fatalities, and 6,972 injuries in 2021; 6,092 accidents, 805 fatalities, and 8,372 injuries in 2022; 6,298 accidents, 893 fatalities, and 8,469 injuries in 2023; 5,808 accidents, 831 fatalities, and 7,820 injuries in 2024; and 5,318 accidents, 984 fatalities, and 7,594 injuries in 2025. Till July 27, 2026, J&K had recorded 3,269 accidents, 603 fatalities, and 4,775 injuries.
For Ladakh, the ministry reported 236 road accidents, 56 fatalities, and 242 injuries in 2021; 374 accidents, 62 fatalities, and 346 injuries in 2022; 289 accidents, 59 fatalities, and 340 injuries in 2023; 264 accidents, 61 fatalities, and 323 injuries in 2024; and 287 accidents, 71 fatalities, and 503 injuries in 2025. Till July 27, 2026, Ladakh recorded 235 accidents, 39 fatalities, and 368 injuries.
On pedestrian casualties, J&K recorded 101 fatalities and 754 injuries in 2021, 131 fatalities and 1,108 injuries in 2022, 158 fatalities and 1,264 injuries in 2023, 144 fatalities and 1,245 injuries in 2024, 477 fatalities and 1,715 injuries in 2025, and 226 fatalities with 1,005 injuries till July 27, 2026. In Ladakh, pedestrian fatalities stood at 1, 4, 1, 4, 305, and 174, respectively, during the same period.
Responding to the question on causes, the ministry said road accidents are a multi-causal phenomenon broadly linked to human error, road condition/environment, and vehicle condition, with data including accidents attributed to over-speeding, drunken driving, wrong-side driving, jumping red lights, mobile phone use, and other causes.
The ministry further said 6,358 black corridors have been identified on National Highways across the country based on accident data for 2023-2025 through AI-based tools developed by IIT Kanpur. Short-term rectification measures include road markings, signages, crash barriers, road studs, delineators, and traffic-calming measures, while long-term measures include improvement of road geometry, junction improvement, and construction of underpasses or overpasses.
On road safety enforcement and prevention, the government said it has adopted a four-pronged strategy based on Education, Engineering, Enforcement, and Emergency Care, highlighting mandatory road safety audits for National Highways, electronic accident reporting through e-DAR, technology-based enforcement, and emergency-care measures.
The question was answered by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Jairam Gadkari in the Lok Sabha on July 30, 2026—(KNO)