E-Paper
Chandigarh’s road mishap deaths at 37-year low this year
In 2020,vehicular movement was restricted due to the pandemic outbreak and subsequent lockdown.
In 2020, the city saw the least number of road accident deaths since 1983, registering a 37-year low, revealed the official traffic police data.
This year, vehicular movement was restricted due to the pandemic outbreak and subsequent lockdown as people preferred to stay indoors rather than venturing out unnecessarily.
As per the data, there were 48 fatal road accidents this year and 51 deaths, less than half as compared to 2019, which recorded 104 deaths in 100 fatal accidents. Police records show that the number of FIRs registered under section 304-A (death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code is the lowest in the city since 1983, when 46 fatal road accidents were reported.
A significant drop in non-fatal road mishaps was also witnessed this year. There were 109 non-fatal accidents in 2020 till date as compared to 205 in 2019. As many as 146 people were injured in these accidents this year, while this figure was 275 in 2019. During the lockdown, the number of road fatalities went down, and in April, there were zero road accident deaths as with the exception of essential services, vehicles weren’t allowed on the roads.
Superintendent of police (traffic) Ketan Bansal said, “The decline can be attributed mainly to the traffic restrictions in place in the city due to the lockdown. However, we are also checking how effective our enforcement strategies were.”
He added that the deployment of traffic cops to prevent accidents is done around the most accident-prone areas of the city. This targeted deployment will continue next year as well.
Figures dip across country
Speaking about the decline in road deaths, Chandigarh road safety panel member and Punjab traffic advisor Navdeep Asija said, “There has been a reduction in fatal accidents throughout the country owing to the pandemic. A 30-35% drop has been observed on average, but if Chandigarh has registered a drop of 50%, it is owing to the enforcement agencies here.”
Road safety activist Harpreet Singh said, “This year, a trend for cycling began as Chandigarh residents are fond of exercising. This needs to continue in 2021 as well, The administration should ensure infrastructure and facilities for cyclists’ safety.”
