Hyderabad Tops India’s Metro Safety Rankings with Highest SmartDrive Score: Zuno India Road Safety Report 2026

Hyderabad, July 22: Zuno General Insurance, a new-age digital insurer, has released the India Road Safety Report (IRSR) 2026, which found that Hyderabad has emerged as India‘s safest metro, recording the highest composite SmartDrive score of 93 among the cities analysed. Based on analysis of more than 4.5 million trips, 55 million kilometres of driving behaviour and data from over 27 thousand active users of the Zuno SmartDrive app across 17 states, the report found that Hyderabad‘s consistently strong performance across key driving behaviour parameters reinforces the role of disciplined driving habits in improving road safety outcomes.

The report, based on smartphone-based telematics technology, evaluates real-world driving behaviour across over-speeding, sudden braking, harsh acceleration, cornering and distracted driving. The findings reinforce the report‘s broader insight that driving patterns offer a better understanding of road risk than demographic characteristics and highlight the need for behaviour-led interventions to improve road safety outcomes across India.

Key Findings from the India Road Safety Report 2026:

• Hyderabad recorded the highest composite SmartDrive score of 93 among all metros analysed, making it India‘s safest metro.
• Driving scores remain stable through most of the day before declining sharply after 8 PM.
• The riskiest driving hour is 9 PM–10 PM (score: 86), while 1 PM–2 PM (score: 93) is the safest.
• Sudden braking (87) and harsh acceleration (91) emerged as the weakest behavioural parameters among Indian motorists.
• Seasonal conditions had a limited impact on driving behaviour, with average scores remaining largely consistent across summer, monsoon and winter.

According to the report, behavioural factors account for more than 80% of road accidents in India, underlining the importance of addressing speeding, distraction and unsafe manoeuvres through a combination of awareness, enforcement and technology-led interventions.

Commenting on the report, Shanai Ghosh, MD and CEO, Zuno General Insurance, said, ” Road safety remains one of India‘s most important public challenges, impacting lives, livelihoods and economic productivity. Through Zuno SmartDrive, we have had a front-row view of driving behaviour across millions of journeys, and one insight stands out clearly: road accidents are often driven by identifiable and measurable behavioural patterns. The India Road Safety Report 2026 highlights how data, driving patterns and technology can complement infrastructure, enforcement and vehicle safety measures to build safer roads. As India works towards its road safety goals, creating greater awareness of driving behaviour and encouraging safer habits can play an important role in reducing fatalities and improving outcomes.”

India records around 1.73 lakh road fatalities annually, accounting for nearly 11% of global road deaths, while road accidents impose an economic burden estimated at 3–5% of GDP. Nearly two-thirds of fatalities occur among people aged 18–45 years. Two-wheeler riders account for 44% of all road deaths, while pedestrians account for nearly 19% of fatalities, highlighting the disproportionate impact on vulnerable road users.

As India works towards its commitment under the Stockholm Declaration to reduce road fatalities by 50% by 2030, the report highlights the need for coordinated action across infrastructure, enforcement and behavioural interventions.