Gujarat road toll: 81% of dead two-wheeler riders weren’t wearing helmets

Ahmedabad: In Gujarat, 7,717 persons were reported dead on the roads in 2024. Of these, 3,722 or 48.3% were two-wheeler riders. Data shared by the state government in a review meeting flagged a critical non-compliance: 3,015 victims or 81% of the deceased two-wheeler riders were not wearing helmets, with the deaths attributed to the lack of helmet use. The figures translate into an average of eight two-wheeler riders dying daily who were not complying with the helmet rule.

The data was presented at a recently held review meeting of the state road safety authority, where senior officials stressed better enforcement and education to reduce fatalities. Other major categories of road users among the dead were pedestrians (22.6%), Cars/ LMV (12.4%), Trucks (7.4%), and Other (9.3%).

Road safety experts have reiterated that authorities should enforce helmet rule with iron fist considering extreme reluctance exhibited by Gujarat riders against wearing helmets. In Ahmedabad alone, traffic cops collected Rs 134 crore as fines in 2025 for helmet rule violation.

Dr Pravin Kanabar, president of the Ahmedabad Traffic Consultative Committee (ATCC), said the figures again underline the vulnerability of two-wheeler riders and the need for enforcement and education.

“It would be our experience as a daily commuter on city roads that compliance is very low – about 3 persons out of 10 would be seen with helmets, and it is even lower for the pillion riders. Role of enforcement comes in play if there is immediate action – such as deducting the fine on the spot, by a FastTag like system that pinch the riders. The e-challans are effective, but does not have the same psychological impact. Education is necessary as the non-compliance causes brain haemorrhage or severe brain damage after a crash, leaving little chances for the treating doctors to revive the patients,” he said.

Meanwhile, the review data of accidents a rise of 3.6% in road fatalities and 12.4% in grievous injuries over three years. Fatalities rose from 7,618 to 7,889 between 2022 and 2025, while grievous injuries increased from 8,782 to 9,870 in the same period.

It also highlighted a longer-term shift toward deadlier outcomes. The share of fatal accidents rose from 35% in 2015 (8,119 deaths out of 23,183 accidents) to 48.7% in 2025 (7,889 deaths out of 16,181 accidents), even as the absolute number of accidents fell by 30% over the decade.

District-level trends pointed to sharp increases in specific regions. Sabarkantha recorded a 32% rise in road fatalities between 2022 and 2025, followed by 29% in Bharuch and 20% in Ahmedabad rural. Among cities, Ahmedabad and Surat both recorded 300-plus annual deaths in 2025. Fatal accidents rose in Ahmedabad by 17%, while Surat saw a 14% rise. Overall, the top 17 cities and districts accounted for 60% of total road fatalities in the state.

State officials said periodic drives—such as one carried out recently across the state in government offices—have highlighted that citizens often do not wear helmets even as a safety device meant to absorb crash impact.

Experts also underlined the role of proper investigation in road accidents, noting that not all crashes can be attributed to over-speeding or helmet non-compliance. The concern was linked to a pattern also seen in National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, where 97% of fatalities in Gujarat were attributed to “over-speeding.”