LUCKNOW, Jan. 24 -- Road accidents claimed 27,205 lives in Uttar Pradesh in 2025, an increase of 3,087 deaths or 12.8% over 2024, marking the sharpest annual rise in recent years and dealing a blow to the state's goal of halving road crash fatalities by 2030.

Official data scooped by Hindustan Times from the transport department show that from January 2025 to December 2025, a total of 50,769 road accidents were reported - 4,717 more than in 2024 - while 38,869 people were injured, an increase of 4,202 or 12.1%. The faster rise in deaths compared to crashes points to greater crash severity and persistent safety gaps.

When contacted, minister of state for transport (independent charge) Daya Shankar Singh said he was yet to receive and see...