Ahmedabad: Rising cases of rash driving and hit-and-run accidents have emerged as a major road safety concern in Gujarat, with a total of 9,597 incidents reported between 2020 and 2024.

Data presented by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in the Lok Sabha shows a consistent upward trend in such cases, with the state recording an average of over 1,800 incidents annually.

Year-wise figures further reflect a growing trend over four years, with a slight improvement in the last year. A total of 1,552 hit-and-run cases were recorded in 2020, 1,720 in 2021, 2,208 in 2022, and 2,214 in 2023, which declined to 1,902 in 2024.

With an estimated population of around 7.22 crore, the state has seen a sharp rise in vehicle ownership. The total number of registered vehicles—both transport and non-transport—has reached approximately 3.5 crore. Experts say this surge has contributed significantly to traffic congestion and a higher risk of accidents.

Concerns have also been raised over the lack of updated official data. The Transport Commissionerate Gujarat’s website reportedly provides vehicle statistics only up to 2018–19, with no updates in the post-COVID period, highlighting issues related to data transparency and monitoring.

Gujarat ranks 11th among states and Union Territories in terms of hit-and-run incidents. However, the state continues to report significantly higher numbers compared to several others, including Kerala and Delhi, raising concerns over the effectiveness of traffic regulation and enforcement mechanisms. DeshGujarat