Road accident fatalities in Kerala were the least in southern India in 2019 compared to fatalities in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra.
As many as 4,370 people were killed and 44,467 injured in 39,944 accidents in the State last year, as per the “Accident deaths and suicides in India in 2019” of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
Road safety experts attribute to stern enforcement drive by law enforcers, increasing awareness among motorists, and hike in penalties for the fatalities coming down in Kerala.
During 2019, as many as160 deaths took place on roads in Thiruvananthapuram (1,704 cases and injuries 1,701), 155 deaths in Kochi (2,138 cases, 2,254 injuries), and 179 deaths in Kozhikode (cases and injuries 1,597 each).
National Highway (NH) stretches in the State accounted for 1,290 deaths and injuries to 10,994 in 9,431 accidents last year. On State highways, 1,040 people lost their lives and 9,897 sustained injuries in 9,118 road accidents.
An analysis of road accident statistics by the NCRB has shown that 7,862 accidents took place between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., 7,312 (between 9 a.m. and 12 noon), 6,199 (between 12 noon and 3 p.m.), 4,666 (between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.), 3,286 (between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.), 1,394 between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m., and 1,063 between midnight and 3 a.m.
Dangerous driving and overtaking resulted in 1,690 deaths, speeding 2,194, driving under the influence of alcohol 16, physical fatigue of drivers six, mechanical condition of vehicles 137, lack of road infra 27, and illegal parking 27 deaths.