SHILLONG: The number of road accidents in Meghalaya decreased in 2023, but the state saw an alarming increase in road deaths.
According to the latest Road Accidents 2023 report from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Meghalaya recorded 168 fatalities in 2023, up from 162 the previous year. During the same period, the total number of accidents dropped from 246 to 223.
Nationally, the report paints a grim picture. In 2023, road crashes in India claimed over 173,000 lives and injured more than 463,000 people. The report emphasizes that multiple factors contribute to these accidents and that a broad, multifaceted approach is needed to reduce the number of deaths and injuries.
The North East has maintained a relatively stable share of the country’s total road accidents over the last five years (2019-2023). Assam consistently had the highest number of accidents in the region, followed by Tripura and Manipur.
While Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tripura saw an increase in accidents in 2023 compared to 2022, all other states in the North East, including Meghalaya, saw a decline.
