An eight-year-old girl, a class 3 student, died after an e-rickshaw carrying students overturned in northeast Delhi’s Maujpur area on August 27 at around 7:30 AM. The e-rickshaw, which was being driven recklessly, collided with a motorcycle before toppling over and injuring the girl.
CCTV footage captured the high-speed incident, showing passersby rushing to assist. The driver fled after taking the girl to Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital, where she was declared dead. A case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for rash driving and causing death by negligence. Police are reviewing CCTV footage to identify the absconding driver.
This incident has once again underlined the grave concerns that continue to haunt the national capital’s roads.
Fatality trends in Delhi
Police data shows that individuals aged 40 and above face a significantly higher risk of fatal accidents. This group has consistently accounted for the highest number of road deaths during the first six months of both 2024 and 2025.
In the first half of 2025, 700 lives were lost in accidents across Delhi. Of these, 205 deaths occurred among those aged 40 and above. The 19-30 age group followed with 185 fatalities, while the 31-40 bracket recorded 156 deaths. Among younger victims, children aged 10 and under accounted for 24 fatalities, and those aged 11-18 contributed 22. In 108 cases, the age of the deceased could not be determined.
The first half of 2024 saw an even higher toll, with 778 fatalities. Of these, 243 were aged 40 and above, again the most affected group. The 19-30 age group recorded 241 deaths, followed by 152 in the 31-40 category. Among younger victims, 18 were aged 10 and under, and 17 were between 11 and 18. In 107 cases, the age of the deceased was not identified.
Injuries on the rise
Injuries also reflect troubling patterns. Between January and June 2024, 2,566 injuries were recorded, rising to 2,617 in the same period of 2025.
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The 19-30 age group bore the brunt of non-fatal injuries, with 838 cases in 2024 and 803 in 2025. Those aged 40 and above followed, with 701 injuries in 2024 and 683 in 2025. The 31-40 age group saw a small drop, from 486 in 2024 to 475 in 2025. Teenagers aged 11-18 recorded a decline from 141 to 124, while children aged 10 and under reported the lowest figures, falling from 83 to 57.
However, injuries among individuals of unknown age rose sharply, from 317 in 2024 to 475 in 2025, suggesting gaps in data collection and reporting.
Experts on causes
Urban expert Rajesh Indora attributed the high fatality rates among those over 40 to their strong presence on Delhi’s roads. He said people in this age group are actively engaged in jobs requiring regular travel, often under tight schedules, which compels them to drive—particularly motorcycles—more frequently and sometimes hastily. This urgency, he explained, heightens their accident risk.
Indora also pointed to the vulnerability of elderly pedestrians. “On the road, elderly people are essentially defenceless. Widespread encroachments have obliterated most footpaths, leaving them with no safe space to walk. Forced to navigate busy roads on foot, they become highly vulnerable, especially when attempting to cross chaotic streets, often resulting in tragic accidents,” he said.
A transport expert associated with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) said reckless driving and excessive speeding were the primary causes of accidents among younger people, particularly those aged 19-30. Many, he explained, lack proper training when they first take to the roads. “Road safety education is sorely lacking, and too often, young people are handed vehicles without adequate instruction on how to drive safely or behave responsibly. This absence of foundational skills contributes significantly to their involvement in accidents.” He stressed the need for structured training programmes to instil a culture of caution and responsibility.
For children, the risks are equally severe but stem from different factors. A senior police officer said underage driving and the failure to wear helmets were key contributors to fatalities among those under 18. Reckless driving, he noted, was a major factor in teenage accidents, with many driving without licences or proper safety gear. Younger children, particularly those aged 10 and under, were at risk due to a lack of road awareness. “Children crossing roads or playing on streets can lose control near moving vehicles, and reckless driving by others only compounds the danger,” the officer said.
Steps being taken
Police officials outlined measures being implemented to address the crisis. “We have deployed dedicated teams at key locations across the city to enforce traffic regulations and curb violations that lead to accidents,” a senior officer said.
He added that awareness campaigns are being organised to educate the public about road safety. “Beyond enforcement, we are also conducting large-scale awareness campaigns to educate the public about road safety. These initiatives aim to foster a culture of responsibility among drivers and pedestrians alike.”
The officer admitted, however, that inadequate infrastructure exacerbates the situation. “Tackling the issue requires a multi-faceted approach, combining stricter enforcement, better infrastructure, and widespread education to reduce the alarming toll of accidents,” he said.
