Assam Reports Increase in Road Accident Deaths; Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Mizoram Record Lowest Numbers

Accident – death – Obituary News : Meghalaya Records Lowest Road Accident Deaths in India, Assam Sees Increase

Guwahati: In a recent report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) for 2022, it has been revealed that Meghalaya has reported the lowest number of deaths in road accidents in the entire country. The state ranks just below Nagaland and Mizoram in terms of road accident fatalities. Meanwhile, Assam has experienced a concerning increase of over 3% in road accident deaths.

According to the NCRB report, Meghalaya recorded only 80 deaths in road accidents last year. Similarly, Mizoram reported 90 fatalities, while Nagaland recorded 98 deaths. These three states are the only ones in India that reported less than 100 deaths in road accidents.

On the other hand, Uttar Pradesh topped the list with over 21,000 road accident deaths, making it the state with the highest number of fatalities in the country. Tamil Nadu followed with over 18,000 deaths, and Maharashtra reported 14,999 fatalities.

An analysis of NCRB reports from 2018 to 2022 reveals that Assam has not seen a decline in road accident deaths over the past five years. The state has consistently reported over 2,500 deaths each year during this period.

The analysis further highlights that Assam witnessed an average of eight deaths per day in road accidents in 2022. In comparison, the state reported seven deaths in 2021 and 2020, and eight deaths in 2019 and 2018.

To address this alarming situation, the Assam government took proactive measures in July-August by identifying 132 blackspots or accident-prone zones across the state. The focus is on improving road engineering to reduce the occurrence of road accidents. The districts are currently collaborating with other departments, including the public works department, police, and transport department, to rectify these blackspots.

The Kamrup (Metro) district administration recently announced that it would conduct a ground assessment of the measures taken by the authorities to rectify the blackspots and reduce road mishaps. Out of the 132 blackspots identified, 33 are located in Kamrup (Metro).

Meanwhile, Assam Transport Minister Parimal Suklabaidya is leading a bike rally called ‘Path Suraksha Jan Andolan’ to raise awareness about road safety. The rally, which began on November 19, aims to promote safe driving practices among the public.

In related news, Jharkhand has witnessed a rise in road accidents, surpassing injuries, according to a separate report by the NCRB. In 2022, Jharkhand reported 5,175 road accidents, resulting in 3,898 deaths and 3,747 injuries. The main causes of accidents and fatalities were overspeeding and two-wheelers. Most accidents occurred on national highways between 3 pm and 6 pm.

Additionally, Odisha experienced a tragic accident in Keonjhar, where eight individuals from two families lost their lives, and seven others sustained injuries. The accident occurred when a minibus collided with a parked truck on NH-20 near Balijodi. The victims were traveling from Ganjam district to Ghatagaon to offer prayers at the Maa Tarini shrine. The incident took place on the first day of the Zero Fatality Week campaign in Odisha.

Furthermore, Haryana ranks second in India for accidental deaths per lakh population in 2022, as per the NCRB report. Chhattisgarh tops the list with 56.4 deaths per lakh, followed by Haryana with 53.5 deaths per lakh. Puducherry and Ladakh also rank higher than Haryana. The number of accidental deaths in Haryana increased by 8% from 14,830 in 2021 to 16,041 in 2022. The majority of casualties were pedestrians and two-wheeler riders.

It is evident from these reports that road accidents continue to be a major concern in several states across India. Authorities need to prioritize road safety measures, improve infrastructure, and raise awareness among the public to prevent further loss of lives on the roads..