Slight dip in road crash fatalities in state in 2023

Road crash fatalities in Maharashtra, India, saw a slight decrease in 2023, with 15,009 deaths in 34,114 accidents compared to 15,224 deaths in 33,383 accidents in 2022. The number of fatalities on the Mumbai Pune Expressway also decreased, with 63 deaths in 153 accidents in 2023 compared to 92 deaths in 198 accidents in 2022. The report attributes most accidents to behavioral issues such as speeding, drunk driving, and lack of safety measures. Efforts by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation and inter-agency cooperation have helped reduce fatalities.

MUMBAI: Road crash fatalities on state and national highways across Maharashtra witnessed a slight dip in 2023, with 15,009 people killed in 34,114 road crashes compared to 15,224 deaths in 33,383 accidents in 2022. The total number of fatalities in 2021, though, was much lesser, at 13,538 deaths across the state.

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Fatalities on the Mumbai Pune Expressway too dipped in 2023, with 63 people dying in 153 accidents compared to 92 deaths in 198 accidents in 2022. The number of black spots on the state’s roads and highways, where accidents are known to recur, also came down in 2023 to 480 from 742 in 2022 and 1,004 in 2021.

As per the road crash report released by the Maharashtra traffic police, most of the accidents across the 3.4-lakh kilometre road network in the state in 2023 occurred due to behavioural issues such as speeding, drunk driving, incorrect or no helmet use, no seatbelt and child restraints.

Samriddhi Marg witnessed the highest number of fatalities, with 141 motorists losing their lives in 1,239 crashes.

Dr Ravindra Singhal, additional director general of police (highway traffic) said fatalities at Samriddhi Marg had increased in the months of August and September, but they had come down substantially since due to inter-agency co-operation and efforts by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation.

Singhal said that the highway traffic police had created a support system of 3,597 mrityunjay doots who helped the police in 1,003 accidents across the state in 2023, managing to save 1,926 people by giving them immediate assistance and first aid within the golden hour. Enforcement and structural changes (temporary and permanent) on highways also helped in saving lives, he said.