Background The underreporting of road traffic crash-related deaths and injuries is a pressing global issue, and India is no exception. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data for 2022, there were 4,46,768 reported cases of road accidents, resulting in 4,23,158 injuries and 1,71,100 deaths. However, these statistics are widely acknowledged to be underreported. High-quality data on road traffic crash injuries and fatalities is crucial for making informed policies, planning effective interventions, and conducting thorough research. Yet, the widespread issue of underreporting these incidents greatly hampers the trustworthiness and usefulness of the collected data. This highlights the pressing importance of finding and using methods that reduce this underreporting bias. By doing so, the reliability of the data can be improved, making it more suitable for research purposes.

Objective This study aims to explore various methods for mitigating the underreporting bias by conducting a literature review and assessing the adaptability of various methods within the Indian context.

Method The study examined diverse literature across public health sectors to identify methods addressing underreporting biases. Each method underwent scrutiny for its relevance, suitability, and effectiveness in rectifying underreporting in Indian road crash data. Assessments considered the underlying assumptions and conditions of these methods to determine their applicability in addressing the underreporting issue.

Results Findings from an in-depth literature review unveil various methods available to tackle underreporting bias. Additionally, this study examines the limitations, challenges, and potential pitfalls linked to the utilization of each method.

Conclusion Exploring different ways to handle underreporting biases in road crash data shows that it’s a complex task with many intricacies. Some methods seem promising in reducing biases, but challenges related to assumptions, adapting to different contexts, and limited resources remain. Applying these methods in India needs careful thought about their limitations and effects, requiring more research and customized strategies to make road crash data reporting more reliable and comprehensive.