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Delhi logged 6% fewer road fatalities than 2023 till May 15: Police
As of May 15, 518 people died in 511 fatal crashes, which was down from 552 deaths from 544 crashes in the same period last year.
Delhi recorded a 6% decline in on-road fatalities from accidents between January 1 and May 15 this year, compared to the corresponding period in 2023, according to data shared by Delhi Police on Sunday. Ring Road, Outer Ring Road and GT Karnal Road accounted for most of the fatal accidents, according to police data.
As of May 15, 518 people died in 511 fatal crashes, which was down from 552 deaths from 544 crashes in the same period last year.
Road fatalities in Chandigarh down by 19% in a year
“The concerted efforts of the Delhi traffic police have played a pivotal role in achieving this milestone. Rigorous enforcement of traffic rules, robust awareness campaigns and the implementation of innovative traffic management strategies have collectively contributed to this positive outcome,” special commissioner of police (Traffic) HGS Dhaliwal said.
According to the data shared by police, Ring Road accounted for the highest number of fatal accidents, at 33, followed by Outer Ring Road, at 31, GT Karnal Road, at 27, Rohtak Road, at 19, NH 8, at 13, Mathura Road, at 10, Najafgarh Road, at 9, Kanjhawala Road, NH 24 and Wazirabad Road, at 7, each.
“With this information, we can implement targeted enforcement measures to enhance road safety and ensure compliance with traffic regulations, ultimately aiming to reduce fatalities on these roads,” police said in a release.
A traffic police officer, on the condition of anonymity, said most accidents take place due to drink driving and speeding, especially at night. “Ring Road was listed as black spot even in 2021 because maximum road accidents and fatalities were reported here. We have taken remedial measures over the years,” the officer said.
Dhawal Ashar, head of integrated transport at research organisation WRI India, said, “We need a more nuanced approach to speed management starting with speed assessment. We need to find out where speeding takes place and when. These trends have to be reported to senior officials as daily, weekly and monthly reports, much like other traffic violations. This will spur better and more focused action on speeding.”
“It is also critical to focus on effective street design to ensure safer speeds. This involves modifying the street environment to streamline traffic flow and vehicle speeds by incorporating traffic calming measures like speed humps, raised crossings and rumble strips along with ensuring clear traffic signage and road markings. Data shows that even a 5% reduction in speed can reduce fatal crashes by 30%,” he said.
Michael Phyland, senior road policing advisor, Global Road Safety Partnership, a partner under the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety, said that over recent decades, many jurisdictions around the world have been successful in reducing the number of drink driving-related crashes. “While some adaptation may be required to suit different contexts, some practices have proven to be highly effective; for instance strong well-publicised, highly visible and sustained enforcement strategies, and random or compulsory breath testing to cite a few,” he said.
Wrong-side driving steers road fatalities
The police release said that in addition to law enforcement measures, Delhi traffic police has prioritised community engagement and collaboration to “foster a culture of road safety”.
“Educational programmes conducted in partnership with schools, colleges, and various stakeholders have been instrumental in raising awareness about the importance of adhering to traffic regulations and adopting safe driving practices,” it said.