State-wise economic burden of road traffic injuries in India

Road traffic injuries (RTI) cause multifarious detrimental consequences, including fatality and serious injuries. RTIs cause considerable financial strain on healthcare systems with high costs of medical care, long-term care for the injured and lost productivity. To assess this economic burden, we estimated the state-wise economic costs of RTI in India.

We followed the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) Checklist 2022 to present the methods and outcomes. Data were obtained from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors Study, Government of India's budget documents, annual reports of the National Health Authority, Controller General of Accounts and Economic Surveys. Cost per disability-adjusted life years (DALY), direct costs, indirect costs and total costs associated with RTI burden were estimated for India and by its states.

The RTI burden declined in all Indian states except Jammu and Kashmir (with a minor increase from 1458 to 1564 DALYs per 100 000) and Rajasthan (from 1275 to 1394 DALYs per 100 000) during the 2010-2019 period. The estimated mean cost per DALY in India due to RTI was ₹1821 (95% CI 1606 to 2036) (US$22 (95% CI 19 to 24)), with a median (IQR) of ₹1609 (551) (US$19 (7)). As of 2019, the estimated mean total cost of RTI burden in India was ₹1017 billion (US$12 billion), with a median (IQR) of ₹731 billion (1220 billion) (US$9 billion (15 billion)).

The burden of RTIs declined across the Indian states during 2010-2019, and the same was not observed with fiscal implications. The study reiterates the need for strategic road safety interventions to ameliorate the socioeconomic and health impacts of RTIs in India.