Forget reducing the number of accidents, it has increased. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said that there has been an increase in road accidents in India. To improve the situation, human behaviour has to change. He also said that when he first took charge as the Minister of Road Transport and Highways, he had set a target of reducing accidents by 50 per cent. "Forget reduction in the number of accidents, I have no hesitation in admitting that there has been an increase," he said."When I go to attend international conferences where road accidents are discussed, I try to hide my face. Replying to a supplementary during Question Hour, Gadkari said to make things better, human behaviour in India has to change, society has to change and the rule of law has to be respected. Nitin Gadkari said 1.78 lakh people die every year in road accidents in the country and 60 per cent of the victims are in the age group of 18-34 years. 
More than 23,000 people (13.7 per cent of total deaths due to road accidents) have died in Uttar Pradesh, followed by more than 18,000 (10.6 per cent) deaths in Tamil Nadu, he said. Maharashtra follows with more than 15,000 (9% of total deaths), followed by Madhya Pradesh with more than 13,000 (8%) deaths. Among cities, Delhi tops with over 1,400 deaths annually, followed by Bengaluru with 915 deaths, he said. Gadkari also said that parking of trucks on the road is a major cause of accidents and many trucks do not follow lane discipline.