MUMBAI: The most unsafe time to be on the road is perhaps 4pm to midnight. This is when the maximum road accident victims are ferried to hospitals, a study has shown. The need for ambulances peaks from 4pm-8pm, when nearly a third of the total accident emergencies are catered to.
As per the free ambulance service provider 108, out of 2.18 lakh road accident cases it has catered to since its inception in 2014, the maximum emergencies have been during 4-8pm, followed by 8pm to midnight (see box). The two time slots put together amount to about 50% of total cases in the state.
"We cater to at least one case of mass casualty (more than five patients) per day involving vehicles; most of these accidents are on the highways," said Dnyaneshwar Shelke, COO, Maharashtra Emergency Medical Services, which runs the 108 service. Accident cases the service catered to increased from 27,852 in 2014 to 73,787 in 2016. This year, up to Nov 15, the number is 63,017.
Road safety experts say the data could be a reflection of the high density of traffic and better reporting during the period. K K Kapila, chairman, International Road Federation, a global body advocating safer roads, said 8pm to midnight is when there's maximum traffic on the roads, increasing the chances of an accident. "Additionally, it is also the time when people could be drink-driving."
On a contrary note, Amitesh Kumar, joint CP (traffic), said the trend over the years shows that road accidents peak during early morning hours. "There could be several factors ranging from higher average speed, drunkenness of the driver to more heavy vehicles plying on the road. The window between 4pm to 8pm is unlikely to see more accidents as roads are congested and the average speed is low. There could be accidents involving pedestrians, but that won't be a big number. But these are trends in cities and highways could paint a different picture."
Recent data shared by state governments with an SC-appointed panel on road safety showed that Maharashtra was among the top states to record a decrease in the number of road accident deaths as compared to 2016. Dr Satish Pawar, who heads the state's directorate of health services (DHS), said a structured study would be needed to link the decrease in accident deaths with that of an efficient ambulance service.
"But there are definitely some changes on the ground. On a recent incident of mass casualty in Latur, we got feedback that ambulances managed to reach within ten minutes. The service has definitely helped in tackling maternal mortality," he said. "But then many relatives of accident victims complain that they are asked too many questions, which they feel delay response time. We are working on that."
As per the free ambulance service provider 108, out of 2.18 lakh road accident cases it has catered to since its inception in 2014, the maximum emergencies have been during 4-8pm, followed by 8pm to midnight (see box). The two time slots put together amount to about 50% of total cases in the state.
"We cater to at least one case of mass casualty (more than five patients) per day involving vehicles; most of these accidents are on the highways," said Dnyaneshwar Shelke, COO, Maharashtra Emergency Medical Services, which runs the 108 service. Accident cases the service catered to increased from 27,852 in 2014 to 73,787 in 2016. This year, up to Nov 15, the number is 63,017.
Road safety experts say the data could be a reflection of the high density of traffic and better reporting during the period. K K Kapila, chairman, International Road Federation, a global body advocating safer roads, said 8pm to midnight is when there's maximum traffic on the roads, increasing the chances of an accident. "Additionally, it is also the time when people could be drink-driving."
On a contrary note, Amitesh Kumar, joint CP (traffic), said the trend over the years shows that road accidents peak during early morning hours. "There could be several factors ranging from higher average speed, drunkenness of the driver to more heavy vehicles plying on the road. The window between 4pm to 8pm is unlikely to see more accidents as roads are congested and the average speed is low. There could be accidents involving pedestrians, but that won't be a big number. But these are trends in cities and highways could paint a different picture."
Recent data shared by state governments with an SC-appointed panel on road safety showed that Maharashtra was among the top states to record a decrease in the number of road accident deaths as compared to 2016. Dr Satish Pawar, who heads the state's directorate of health services (DHS), said a structured study would be needed to link the decrease in accident deaths with that of an efficient ambulance service.
"But there are definitely some changes on the ground. On a recent incident of mass casualty in Latur, we got feedback that ambulances managed to reach within ten minutes. The service has definitely helped in tackling maternal mortality," he said. "But then many relatives of accident victims complain that they are asked too many questions, which they feel delay response time. We are working on that."
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