In 2021, 412,432 road accidents were reported in India, resulting in 153,972 deaths and 384,448 injuries. India has the highest number of road fatalities, accounting for 11% of the global road fatalities. Therefore, it is important to explore the underlying causes of accidents on Indian roads. The objective of this study is to identify the factors inherent in accidents in India using clustering analysis based on self-organizing maps (SOM). It also attempts to recommend some countermeasures based on the identified factors. The study used Indian accident data collected by members of ICAT-ADAC (International Centre for Automotive Technology - Accident Data Analysis Centre) under the ICAT-RNTBCI joint project approved by the Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India. 210 cases were collected from the National Highway between Jaipur and Gurgaon and 239 cases from urban and semi-urban roads around Chennai were used for the analysis.
Based on this study, the following results were obtained from (i) Macro Analysis: Accidents on straight roads occur at uncontrolled intersections due to excessive speed. In rugged terrain, accidents occur in rainy and foggy environmental conditions. (ii) From micro analysis - National Highway: Lack of underride guard bars/non-standard guard bars cause serious rear-end crashes, non-use of seat belts in large vehicles increases the likelihood of fatal crashes.
One-way divider cuts, rumble strips, safer pedestrian infrastructure, use of roadway lighting, and signage are effective in reducing fatal crashes. The results of this study will help transportation authorities and relevant government policymakers make the necessary decisions to improve road traffic safety.