Road accidents in the city have decreased by 20%, but Mumbai still tops the state in number of accidents.
The latest figures released by the state transport department say there were 23,440 road accidents in Mumbai between January and December 2010.
Every day, at least one person in Mumbai dies and at least 13 are injured in road accidents. But the rate of deaths in road accidents has come down by 11%; 549 were killed in the above period. The number of people injured was 4,896, a decrease of 25%.
Is the drop in number of accidents because Mumbaiites are driving safe? City transport experts think so.
“People are more aware now. Also, there have been campaigns by the traffic police to increase awareness about road safety,” said Arun Mokashi, transport analyst. The crackdown on drink driving has yielded results too.
Mokashi said the rise in road congestion may have also resulted in fewer accidents. “The number of vehicles has increased tremendously. This has reduced the [average] speed of vehicles tremendously, reducing the number of accidents. Despite this, Mumbai has the most number of accidents in the state. This should be a wake-up call for the transport department,” said Mokashi.
There is an improvement in the city’s traffic organisation, said Nitin Dossa, executive chairman of the Western Indian Automobile Association. “The decrease in the rate of accidents is impressive. But the number of deaths should come down. The traffic department is strict about bikers wearing helmets and CCTV cameras have been installed at traffic signals, which is making people drive more safely,” said Dossa.
{{/usCountry}}There is an improvement in the city’s traffic organisation, said Nitin Dossa, executive chairman of the Western Indian Automobile Association. “The decrease in the rate of accidents is impressive. But the number of deaths should come down. The traffic department is strict about bikers wearing helmets and CCTV cameras have been installed at traffic signals, which is making people drive more safely,” said Dossa.
{{/usCountry}}Stay updated with all the Breaking News and Latest News from Mumbai. Click here for comprehensive coverage of top Cities including Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, and more across India along with Stay informed on the latest happenings in World News.
Stay updated with all the Breaking News and Latest News from Mumbai. Click here for comprehensive coverage of top Cities including Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, and more across India along with Stay informed on the latest happenings in World News.